Written Answers. - Departmental Bodies.
Ruairí Quinn
Question:
221
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the committees, boards, companies or other bodies under the auspices of his Department which it is proposed to establish; if it is intended that each such body will have a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7114/02]
Ruairí Quinn
Question:
222
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the committees, boards, companies or other bodies under the auspices of his Department which were established otherwise than pursuant to statute or statutory instruments; if there are proposals to have the body in question given a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7129/02]
Ruairí Quinn
Question:
223
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the committees, boards, companies or other bodies under the auspices of his Department which were established pursuant to statutory instrument; the particulars of the statutory instrument in each case; if there are proposals to have the body in question given a basis in statute as opposed to statutory instrument; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7144/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 221 to 223, inclusive, together.
It is my intention to establish the dormant accounts fund disbursements board and the board of the new Family Support Agency shortly. The Dormant Accounts Act, 2001, provides for the appointment by the Minister of the dormant accounts fund disbursements board, the remit of which will be to oversee a scheme for disbursement of surplus dormant funds. The board will consist of a chairperson and eight ordinary members representative of the Minister, the financial services industry and people with knowledge of, or experience in relation to, the purposes for which disbursements will be made or any other matters relevant to the board's functions. I am consulting with relevant interests with regard to appointments to the board.
Family support agency legislation to establish the family support agency was enacted on 22 December 2001. The Family Support Agency Act provides for the establishment of a statutory body which will bring together the main programmes and pro-family services introduced by this Government in recent years. Its main aim is to support families, promote continuity axed stability in family life and prevent marital breakdown, and to foster a supportive community environment for families at local level.
The new agency will be a resource for voluntary and community groups and others involved in promoting family well-being. In addition to raising awareness about family and parenting issues, it will also undertake research. It will be overseen by a board comprising members with experience and expertise in fields such as family mediation, the family community resource programme, counselling, research, family law and parenting.
The national advisory committee to the money advice and budgeting service, which advises the Minister on matters relating to the service, currently operates on a non-statutory basis. I propose, as part of the money advice and budgeting service Bill, due to be published shortly, to establish the committee on a statutory basis.
In November 2000 I established, as part of Ireland's contribution to the International Year of Volunteers 2001, a national committee on volunteering. The objective of the committee is to devise strategies and actions for supporting and developing volunteering. The membership of the committee comprises representatives from relevant Departments, universities with related research or training roles, business and industry, foundations, leading NGOs and community and voluntary groups, together with some individuals. I have no plans to establish the committee on a statutory basis. There are no bodies operating under the aegis of my Department which have set up under statutory instrument.
