Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 November 2012
611. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the child protection staff currently employed by the Health Service Executive will be transferred to the new agency; the number of staff that will be transferred; if they receive will redundancy payments and if so what is the estimated cost; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52837/12]
View answerThe Government has approved the Heads of the Child and Family Support Agency Bill and has also agreed to the priority drafting of this Bill. The necessary legislative and organisational preparations are being prioritised so that the Agency can be established early in 2013. A precise target date for the transfer of staff will be set when consideration of the legislation is advanced. From its establishment the Child and Family Support Agency will have service responsibility for:
- Child welfare and protection services currently operated by the HSE including family support and alternative care services.
- Child and family related services for which the HSE currently has responsibility including pre-school inspections and domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services.
- Community-based psychology services (this does not encompass psychologists operating within acute, disability, mental health or other specialist settings). The Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of Health will work jointly on an impact analysis of proposed future arrangements for this service as they relate to children and family services covered by the Child and Family Support Agency and to services provided by the HSE.
- The Family Support Agency which currently operates as a separate body under the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and will be merged into the new Agency.
- The National Educational Welfare Board which also currently operates as a separate body under the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and will be merged into the new Agency.
At this point it is envisaged that approximately 4,500 staff will transfer to the new Agency after its establishment. Staff who are transferring are not being made redundant. In the circumstances the issue of redundancy payments does not arise.
