Vol. 558 No. 5
308 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Health and Children the action which was taken by officials in his Department in the outcome of the investigations by the SEHB and the Garda Síochána in respect of allegations in a location (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25096/02]
This Department was alerted by the SEHB to allegations in the location concerned in early January 1994. At that time investigations were also taking place into allegations at another location. The chief executive officers of each health board were instructed by the Department to ensure that children placed in residential care were visited regularly and that the care being provided to them was monitored closely.
A working group to advise on standards in children's residential centres was established. This group included representatives of my Department, health boards, residential managers association, the Irish Association of Care Workers and the Conference of Religious of Ireland. As a result of this, the Child Care (Standards in Children's Residential Centres) Regulations, 1996 (S.I. No. 397 of 1996) were introduced. These regulations set out the statutory obligations on the standards to be maintained in children's residential centres run by voluntary agencies.
