Jim O'Keeffe
Question:1 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Taoiseach if he will appoint a Minister of State for Family Affairs. [16262/97]
Ceisteanna—Questions. - Ministerial Appointments.
I am satisfied the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs can administer all of the functions which arise in this area without the assignment of a Minister of State for Family Affairs. The Minister enjoys the co-operation and support of the entire Government team in his work. As I explained in this House on the appointment of the Government on 26 June, the change in ministerial and departmental titles to Social, Community and Family Affairs reflects the fact that social inclusion means more than just income support, vital though that may be.
The family unit is the foundation of social cohesion and needs to be supported at a policy level. The implications of decisions for the family need to be taken into account at the Cabinet table. This perception of the fundamental importance of the family underlies the assignment of the functions to the Minister for his attention.
Why did the Fianna Fáil manifesto promise to appoint a Minister of State for Family Affairs?
We said we would look at the policy options of making sure that family matters were dealt with properly. When I examined this, I decided the best way of doing so was to give the brief to a Minister who would sit at the Cabinet table. I assure the Deputy that my judgment has been excellent.
Does the Taoiseach accept that the Fianna Fáil manifesto did not promise to examine the matter? There was a clear and specific commitment as follows: we will appoint a Minister of State for Family Affairs. Why did the Taoiseach change his mind?
I have just stated that rather than having a Minister of State, I moved a step further to ensure that a Minister was responsible for these issues. The Commission on the Family will soon issue its report with all its implications and recommendations. It would be inappropriate for these issues not to be handled by a Minister.
Does the Taoiseach not accept that, in the same manifesto, there was already a commitment to broaden the function and role of the Department? There was a commitment to change the title and yet, despite there being two Ministers of State attached to four other Departments, the Taoiseach found it advisable to break a clear and specific promise and to withdraw the Minister of State from this Department. Does it not debase politics when clear and specific promises are broken with such impunity?
On the contrary, the research documents which Fianna Fáil prepared in Opposition clearly showed that the issue of the family should receive more attention. Through the Commission on the Family, with which Deputy De Rossa as Minister was involved, there is a mechanism to ensure that family matters are dealt with at ministerial level. It seems the Deputy is opposed to family affairs being the responsibility of a Minister. I find that extraordinary.
I was not only involved in the Commission on the Family, I established it. Does the Taoiseach not accept this is a broken promise? A Minister of State for Family Affairs was promised yet has not been appointed. The Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs has precisely the same responsibilities as the former Department of Social Welfare, all we have is a change of title. That is the only measure the Taoiseach has taken on family affairs.
The Deputy is incorrect in stating the Department has the same responsibilities. The responsibilities for marriage counselling and other related areas, formerly handled by the Department of Equality and Law Reform, are now with the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs. That is as it should be.
I am happy to correct my earlier statement, Deputy De Rossa established the Commission on the Family. However, the commission's terms of reference and the work in which the Deputy was engaged shows the appropriateness of having responsibility for family affairs within the remit of the Minister. I have been anxious to move away from the position in which there are Ministers of State across half a dozen Departments. That only worked in some cases. Deputies are aware provision was made to move away from this situation in the Public Service Management Bill which came into effect on 1 September.
The Department of Social Welfare has traditionally had the role of providing financial support for families and has done an exceptionally good job over many administrations. To suggest the transfer of marriage counselling to the Department encompasses the responsibility for family affairs is a misrepresentation of the situation. Other Departments have huge responsibilities in relation to children, housing and so on. Virtually every Department has a responsibility for family affairs and a Minister of State for Family Affairs could cross each Department and draw policy together, particularly as we are soon to have the Report of the Commission on the Family. Without doubt, that report will include recommendations which will require drawing together policy across Departments.
That is the point. The Minister has full responsibility for family policy. I have quoted only one aspect of this, but all issues relating to marriages, registration, counselling and so on, previously handled by the Department of Equality and Law Reform, are now the responsibility of Deputy Ahern. The recommendations in the commission's report will stress new reporting relationships for officials in various Departments to be co-ordinated by the Minister and he will have the functional responsibility of dealing with that. From the earlier research carried out by Fianna Fáil, it was seen as desirable to have a Minister of State dealing with some of these issues. However, the consequences and implementation of the report will require a Minister at the Cabinet table who is able to present the recommendations and fight for their implementation with the Department of Finance and other Departments as well as co-ordinating housing, health, education and so on.
While accepting the Taoiseach's view that responsibility across Departments sometimes works and sometimes does not, will he accept that in the context of children it is very difficult to compartmentalise responsibility within one Department? Does he accept that in a situation where child abuse is increasing — perhaps he listened to the news today when the details of one horrific case now in court was discussed — there is serious concern about the manner in which the Government has gone back on its commitments? Today the Government has gone back on a commitment relating to family affairs. Last week it did the same in relation to mandatory reporting. There is now to be another broken pledge in relation to an ombudsman for children. Will the Taoiseach accept that this is unfortunate given the present circumstances? Before the Fianna Fáil commitment to an ombudsman for children is finally broken, will he raise the issue with the Minister for Health and Children and the Minister of State to ensure that there is more than symbolic protection and fostering of children's interests and that the Fianna Fáil commitment is honoured?
It is not too often that a progressive step is greeted with accusations of going backwards. It appears some Deputies would like policy to remain static when the evidence is that there is a better way of doing things.
I do not want to go backwards.
We are providing full ministerial responsibility and moving the issue forward in relation to the matter raised by Deputy Currie regarding children. The Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Fahey, is involved in co-ordinating the work of a range of Departments. Deputy Currie will recall that two weeks ago he raised the issue of mandatory reporting in the House and urged that the Minister of State should do precisely what he did.
Will the Taoiseach accept that when in office I decided not to introduce mandatory reporting? I stand by that decision unlike the Government which gave a commitment to introduce it. Will the Taoiseach answer my other question which is far more important, namely, why the Government is welshing on the Fianna Fáil commitment to appoint an ombudsman for children? The Government's decision can still be reversed.
The issue of an ombudsman is a separate question.
It is not a separate question. The Taoiseach is not answering the question.
The explanation given by the Taoiseach is spurious. He knows that whether there is one or two Ministers of State, it is not them but the Minister who represents the Department in the Cabinet. Instead of an advance being made, things are going backwards. Prior to the election there was a Minister, Deputy De Rossa, and a Minister of State, Deputy Durkan, in that Department. There was a promise to have a greater focus on the family by means of changing the name of the Department, broadening its remit and appointing a Minister of State with special responsibility for family affairs. This change is entirely cosmetic and the fact that it is accompanied by a reduction in ministerial representation means it is a backward rather than a forward step. It is another clear example of a broken manifesto promise.
The first part of the question is nonsense and the second part is stupid.