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Public Sector Reform Review

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 November 2012

Wednesday, 14 November 2012

Questions (234)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

234. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of bodies that have been abolished or amalgamated by her Department out of the list of bodies listed in the public service reform document of 17 November 2011; the savings or cost of this in 2012; the projected savings or cost of this programme in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50534/12]

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Written answers

I would like to inform the Deputy there are four agencies which are funded by the Exchequer through my Department's Vote. These are the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI); the Family Support Agency (FSA); the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) and the Ombudsman for Children's Office (OCO).

In July 2011, the Government decided that the Family Mediation Service should transfer from the Family Support Agency to the Legal Aid Board. This is in line with the Government’s commitment to facilitate the use of mediation in family disputes in order to speed up the legal process, reduce costs and ameliorate the stress of contested court proceedings. On foot of the Government decision, the Family Support Agency established a transition project team to transfer 45 individuals, or 24.29 WTEs, in some 16 locations throughout the country and an annual allocation of almost €3m to the Legal Aid Board. On 26 October 2011, the Minister for Justice and Equality signed the commencement order for Part 16 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011 which gave effect to the transfer from 1 November 2011.

I can inform the Deputy that the FSA is due to be merged with the new Child and Family Support Agency (CFSA) which will be established in 2013. The National Educational Welfare Board is also due to be merged with the CFSA. Legislation for the establishment of the CFSA is being prepared by my Department as a priority. It is anticipated that the Bill will be published and enacted in the course of this session and it is my intention that the CFSA will assume statutory responsibility for services for children and families in January 2013.

It is proposed to merge the back office functions of the Ombudsman for Children's Office into the Ombudsman/Information Commissioner's Office and discussions are taking place around this with a view to this taking place by the end of 2012.

In relation to 2012, no savings have been made as these proposals have not being implemented yet. At this stage it is not possible to quantify the actual savings that will arise for 2013 as a result of these developments as discussions and preparatory work are still ongoing. The questions of savings and efficiencies will be considered in the context of the development of the CFSA in 2013.

It should be noted that following enactment of the Child Care Amendment Act 2011 the Children's Act Advisory Board was subsequently dissolved by means of the commencement by the Minister of Health of Part 6 of the Child Amendment Act 2011.

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