Vol. 501 No. 3
71 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Health and Children the precise role, if any, his Department has in the formulation of the proposed national child care strategy; his views on the fact that a policy with major implications for the welfare of children is being considered by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5982/99]
The expert working group on child care was established by the Government in July, 1997 under a commitment in Partnership 2000 to devise a national framework for the development of child care facilities in Ireland. My Department has played a major role on the expert working group on child care which published its report in February. It is also represented on the interdepartmental committee subsequently established to evaluate, cost and prioritise the proposals in the report and the child care proposals in An Action Programme for the Millennium, the report of the Commission on the Family and the report of the Forum on Early Childhood Education. This committee has been asked to report within a timeframe of six months.
The expert group recognised in its report that the needs and rights of children should be a primary consideration and I am certain that this focus will be continued by the interdepartmental committee.
