The Government has approved the Heads of the Child and Family 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 as soon as possible. This piece of important legislation provides for the subsuming of functions from three separate agencies; namely the HSE, and also the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board which both currently come under the remit of my Department. The preparations undertaken to date include identification of the first Chair of the Child and Family Agency.
In preparation for the formal establishment of the new Agency Ms. Norah Gibbons will be initially appointed as Chair of the existing Family Support Agency, one of the constituent bodies to be merged into the Child and Family Agency. In line with the practice established by this Government Ms. Gibbons will be available to appear before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children in advance of her taking up her position.
A public advertisement has been undertaken through the Public Appointments Service seeking Expressions of Interest from those interested in being appointed to the Board of the Family Support Agency having regard to both its existing statutory functions and its planned role in facilitating the establishment of the Child and Family Agency. The closing date for applications is Thursday, 23rd May 2013.
The selection of board members will reflect the enhanced role being given to this board in overseeing, on an administrative basis, the governance and organisational preparations for the new Agency. The number of Board members appointed will be in line with Section 10 (1) of the Family Support Agency Act, 2001, which provides for a board of 12 members in total.
Those appointed to the FSA Board will have a term of office up to the date of the establishment of the new Child and Family Agency. In the interests of good governance I anticipate that in general a good level of continuity will be maintained between the newly appointed Family Support Agency Board and the Board of the Child and Family Agency, although I will be proposing that the latter board be smaller in number.
Meanwhile legislative preparations are advanced with finalisation of the Child and Family Agency Bill nearing completion in conjunction with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel. I expect to introduce this Bill to the House in this session.
