Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 June 2013
495. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will outline the number of new semi-State organisations under her aegis which have been established since March 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29822/13]
View answerI can confirm that no semi-state organisations come under the remit of my Department and no new semi-state organisations have been established since March, 2011.
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 (OCO). Gaisce also comes under the remit of my Department. With effect from 1 January 2012, I have taken responsibility for the Children Detention Schools as provided in Part 10 of the Children Act 2001.
As the Deputy may be aware, work is well underway on the establishment of the new Child and Family Agency including the drafting of the required legislation. This 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 legislation will be published shortly and it is my intention that the CFA will assume statutory responsibility for services for children and families in 2013. Once legislation has been enacted, the Agency will formally come under the remit of my Department.
