Vol. 450 No. 3
90 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Health the gender, age, length of stay and total number of children placed under Section 5 of the Child Care Act, 1991, in bed and breakfast accommodation, in hospital beds and in overnight accommodation in Garda Stations in each of the Health Board areas during 1994. [5200/95]
The detailed information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table in respect of seven health boards. The information in relation to the Eastern Health Board is being collated and I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as possible.
|
Health Board |
Accommodation |
Number |
Gender |
Age |
Length of stay |
|
Midland |
B & B |
4 |
3 male1 female |
15-17 years |
3 nights- 4 weeks |
|
Hospitals |
none |
||||
|
Garda Station |
none |
||||
|
Mid-Western |
B & B |
2 |
1 male1 female |
14-16 years |
1-3 nights |
|
Hospitals |
none |
||||
|
Garda Station |
none |
||||
|
North-Eastern |
B & B |
4 |
3 male1 female |
15-17 years |
3 nights- 4 weeks |
|
Hospitals |
none |
||||
|
Garda Station |
none |
||||
|
North-Western |
B & B |
3 |
2 female1 male |
16-17 years |
1-2 nights |
|
Hospitals |
none |
||||
|
Garda Station |
none |
||||
|
South-Eastern |
B & B |
none |
|||
|
Hospitals |
none |
||||
|
Garda Station |
none |
||||
|
Southern |
B & B |
15 |
8 male7 female |
16-18 years |
1 night- 4 weeks |
|
Hospitals |
none |
||||
|
Garda Stations |
none |
||||
|
Western |
B & B |
none |
|||
|
Hospitals |
none |
||||
|
Garda Station |
none |
91 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Health the cost in each Health Board area of placing homeless children in bed and breakfast accommodation in each of the years 1992 to 1994. [5201/95]
The detailed information requested by the Deputy in respect of 1993 and 1994 is set out in the following table. Section 5 of the Child Care Act, which requires health boards to provide accommodation for homeless children, was brought into operation on 1 October 1992. Therefore no information is available in respect of that year.
|
Health Board |
1993 |
1994 |
|
£ |
£ |
|
|
Eastern |
40,000 |
94,000 |
|
Midland |
4,890 |
1,600 |
|
Mid-Western |
645 |
105 |
|
North-Eastern |
6,900 |
1,200 |
|
North-Western |
700 |
60 |
|
South-Eastern |
6,336 |
nil |
|
Southern |
1,716 |
1,332 |
|
Western |
nil |
nil |
|
Total |
61,187 |
98,297 |
92 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Health if he intends to issue guidelines under Section 69 of the Child Care Act, 1991, to clarify the use of Section 5 of the Act which would outline the forms of accommodation deemed to be suitable for the purposes of Section 5 of the Act. [5202/95]
As the Deputy is aware, the Child Care Act, 1991, provides a statutory obligation on health boards to provide a range of child care and family support services for children who are not receiving adequate care and protection.
In the case of children who are homeless, health boards are obliged to make all reasonable efforts to provide appropriate hostel, residential or family placement for them. My Department has made it clear to health boards that the placement of children in bed and breakfast accommodation is not an acceptable response to the problem of youth homelessness. If, in cases of emergency, there is no alternative to the placement of a homeless child in this type of accommodation, my Department has advised health boards that immediate steps should be taken to secure an appropriate hostel, residential or family placement for the child.
