The information is set out in the following table.
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Agency/Org/Body
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Core Duties/Functions
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Staff
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Budget 2013
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Proposed Budget 2014
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Established
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Legislation
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Child and Family Agency
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Child Welfare and Protection Services; Services previously delivered by the Family Support Agency and the National Educational and Welfare Board; Preschool Inspection; Services; Domestic, sexual and gender based violence services; Community based services related to the psychological welfare of children and families
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3,454 WTEs
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N/A Agency established in 2014
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The funding allocation for the Agency in 2014 amounts to €609m. this includes a current provision of €602m and a capital allocation of €7m
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01/01/2014
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The Child and family Agency Act 2013 was signed into law in December 2013
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Board of Management of the Children's Detention Schools, Oberstown, Lusk, Co.Dublin
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Management of the Children Detention Schools
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188 WTEs
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Current €15.9m
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Current €17.9m
Capital project €56m over 2013-15 for construction of new national children detention facilities at Oberstown campus.
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Originally established as reformatory schools under the Children Act 1908 and became Children Detention Schools on commencement of Part 10 of the Children Act 2001, as amended, on 1 March 2007
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Children Act 2001
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Ombudsman for Children
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Promoting the welfare and rights of children; Responding to individual complaints; Establishing mechanisms for regular consultation with children; Advising the Government on policies and services
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10 WTEs
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€1.88m
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€1.88m
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2004
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Ombudsman for Children Act 2002
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Adoption Authority of Ireland
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Implementing the Adoption Act 2010, public policy relating to adoption and Ireland's adherence to the Hague Convention in relation to inter-country adoption.
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25 WTEs
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€2,648m
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€2,594m
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2010
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Adoption Act 2010
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In addition, I should mention Gaisce, The Presidents Award. This is not a State Body as such and is not established under Statute but is a limited company set up under the Companies Acts. Gaisce was incorporated as a limited company in 1996 and holds charitable status. It is governed by its Articles and Memorandum of Association. The Council comprising of 15 members, including the Chair, are appointed by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and it is funded through the Department's Vote with an annual budget of €0.63m for each of 2013 and 2014. The current Council was appointed in March 2012 for a 3 year term.
As to the working groups under my Department's remit, there is a considerable range. Most such groups do not have full time staff but are supported by staff of my and other Departments and of partner organisations as part of their wider duties. Many do not have an allocated budget and operate on a non-statutory basis.
The Children First Interdepartmental Group (CFIDG) was established in 2011 to promote the importance of compliance across Government with Children First, National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children. In 2014, a CFIDG Sub Group on Current and Planned Child Protection Measures was established to conduct a review of current and planned child protection mechanisms in the school system to assess the extent to which issues identified in the Louise O'Keeffe judgement have been addressed in the period since 1973. These groups do not have full time staff, annual budgets and were not established by legislation.
To give a range of examples from the Youth area alone:
- The National Youth Strategy Task Group was set up in 2014 in consultation with the National Youth Work Advisory Committee to support the Department in the development of the National Youth Strategy. It comprises representatives of Government departments, business , academic and youth sectors;
- The National Youth Work Advisory Committee was appointed from January 2013 under section 17 of the Youth Work Act 2001. The terms of reference involved advice to the Minister in relation to: the Irish EU Youth Presidency Programme; links between Youth Work sector and Tusla; and the National Youth Strategy. Its operational costs during 2013 were €9,364.08 and it has a budget of €12k for 2014.
- The National Working Group on Structured Dialogue was established in 2009 to inform and assist in the development of Ireland’s consultation process with young people at local, regional and national level. The consultation process is funded by the EU Commission. DCYA's contribution to operational costs for 2013 amounted to €19,666.85 and for 2014 was €24,500;
- The National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF) Implementation Group was established in 2010 to provide to the implementation of the NQSF and Quality Standards for volunteer-led youth groups;
- The Quality Standards Training and Resource Development Task Group was set up in 2011 to assist the Department in ensuring that training supports and resources for the Youth Services sector are developed and made available in the most effective and cohesive manner;
- The National Youth Arts Programme partnership exists since 1999 to inform the direction of the National Youth Arts Programme and to monitor the implementation plan of the programme. The programme involves training the youth sector in youth arts. Operational Costs associated with programme, €63,954 in 2013 and €61,556 in 2014;
- The National Youth Health Programme partnership exists since 1994 to develop the direction of the National Youth Health Programme and monitor the implementation plan. Operational Costs associated with the programme were €83,792 in 2013 and €80,792 in 2014.
In relation to the Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programmes, two working groups operate without budget and on a non-statutory basis:
- The Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme Project Team was set up in February 2013 to oversee the implementation of the ABC Programme.
- The Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme Working Group was established in March 2013 to support the work of the ABC Project Team and undertake the evaluation process of the ABC Programme.
The recently published National Policy Framework for Children and Young People Better Outcomes Brighter Futures involves cross departmental working groups to advance the commitments in the Framework, neither of which have allocated staff or budget and neither of which are established under any legislation:
- The Children and Young People's Policy Consortium was set up in April 2013 to have oversight and drive cross-Government implementation of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures and its supporting strategies, and to report annually to Government on progress achieved.
- The Sponsors Group is a Sub-group of the Policy Consortium was set up in 2013 to actively drive implementation of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures and provide a forum for problem-solving.
The Children and Young People Services Committee Task Group was established by DCYA in September 2014 with a view to prioritising key issues to be addressed in the strategic and operational development of Children Services Committees. This group has no staff, no budget and was not established under any legislation.
I should point out to the Deputy that this is not an exhaustive list but I hope I have conveyed sufficient information to respond to the Deputy's question.
