Dan Neville
Question:92 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the sections of the 271 sections of the Children Act, 2001, which have been introduced. [19586/02]
Written Answers. - Children Act, 2001.
The Cabinet Committee on Children decided that the National Children's Office should take the lead role in relation to co-ordinating the implementation of the Children Act, 2001. The National Children's Office has established a working group for this purpose which comprises high level representation from this Department and the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Education and Science and their respective local agencies. The working group meets regularly to review progress in implementing the Act and to bring forward further proposals for implementation.
To date, the Cabinet Committee on Children has approved proposals by the working group relating to the provisions of the Act to be commenced in 2002 and 2003. A copy of the first commencement order under the Act, which came into force on 1 May 2002, has been forwarded to the Deputy. Considerable progress has been made towards the commencement of other significant parts of the Act. In this regard, it is anticipated that the following parts will be commenced over the coming months: Part 2 – family welfare conferences; Part 3 – amendment of the Child Care Act, 1991; Part 10 – children detention schools; and Part 11 – special residential services board.