Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 November 2013
29. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the children first Bill will be published; if it will mean that Departments and-or the Health Service Executive can be reported for failure to protect the welfare of vulnerable children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47832/13]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that I published the Draft Heads and General Scheme for the Children First Bill 2012 in April 2012 and immediately referred the Heads of Bill to the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children for consideration and advice. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children published their report in July 2012. A number of submissions were received as part of the Committee's consultation process. Overall there was a welcome that the legislation would increase the focus on child protection. The contributions in the main came from organisations already implementing Children First. Since then my Department and I have carried out international research and held further consultations with experts and key stakeholders, including other relevant Departments and statutory agencies, to discuss and review the complex matters arising and the development of the final Bill.
It is also essential that the related and relevant legislation is compatible with and will complement the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act and the Criminal Justice (Withholding Information on Crimes Against Children and Intellectually Disabled Persons) Act. The drafting of the Children First Bill is under way. The proposed Children First Bill will place obligations on certain professionals and other people working with children to report suspected child protection concerns to the HSE/Child and Family Agency and also for certain relevant professionals to assist the HSE/Child and Family Agency in the assessment of any reported cases. Organisations will also have legal obligations relating to child safety planning.
It is also intended to place the Children First Inter-Departmental Group on a statutory basis, to be chaired by my Department. This will allow my Department to identify any areas that require to be developed or improvement, which will be particularly important during the initial implementation phase of the Bill.
