Family Support Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2013

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Questions (572)

Seán Kyne

Question:

572. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the progress made on establishing the family support agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22937/13]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I believe the Deputy is referring to the new Child and Family Agency. 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. The Agency, upon establishment, will assume full statutory responsibility for a range of child and family services currently provided by three separate agencies; namely the HSE, the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board.

As part of this ongoing preparatory work, the Government approved, on my recommendation, the appointment of Ms. Norah Gibbons as first Chairperson of the board of the Agency. In preparation for the formal establishment of the new Agency it is my intention to appoint Ms Gibbons 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 appear before the Oireachtas Health and Children Committee in advance of her taking up her position. I wrote to the Chairman of the Committee on April 30th last requesting that he facilitate Ms. Gibbon's appearance before the Committee in connection with her appointment.

On 2nd May, a public advertisement seeking Expressions of Interest from those interested in being appointed to the Board of the Family Support Agency was published on the website of the Public Appointments Service. A notice to this effect has also been posted on my Department's website and on the websites of the National Educational Welfare Board and the Family Support Agency. The closing date for applications is Thursday, 23rd May 2013.