15 Feb 2012, 15:04
The Joint Committee on Health and Children will receive an update on children’s and youth issues from the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald tomorrow, Thursday, 16th February.
The meeting will provide an opportunity for committee members to question the Minister who has the principle responsibility for dealing with children’s and young people’s issues.
Among the matters to be discussed are:
• An outline of the Department’s legislative programme, particularly the Children’s referendum and the Children First Bill.
• What interim measures will be put in place to ensure that children in detention in Ireland will be more suitably accommodated.
• The report by the National Review Panel for Serious Incidents and Child Deaths.
• International Adoptions.
Committee Chairman, Jerry Buttimer TD said: “The Committee has an important role in monitoring the work and roles of the Departments of Health and Children and Youth Affairs. Tomorrow’s meeting will provide members of the Committee with an opportunity to directly question the Minister on a number of matters that involve children and young people and to raise issues or concerns they may have in a number of areas. In particular, we are interested in the Department’s legislative programme, specifically the Amendment to the Constitution (Children’s Referendum) Bill and the Children First Bill and the input the Committee will make into this legislation.”
The meeting takes place tomorrow, Thursday, 16th February, at 11.30am in Committee Room 2, LH 2000. Committee proceedings can be followed live at: http://bit.ly/24YmPI
For further information please contact:
Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551
ENDS
Committee Membership:
Deputies
Jerry Buttimer, Fine Gael
Catherine Byrne, Fine Gael
Michael Colreavy, Sinn Fein
Ciara Conway, Labour Party
Regina Doherty, Fine Gael
Robert Dowds, Labour Party
Peter Fitzpatrick, Fine Gael
Seamus Healy, Independent
Derek Keating, Fine Gael
Billy Kelleher, Fine Fail
Eamonn Maloney, Labour Party
Charlie McConalogue, Fianna Fail
Mattie McGrath, Independent
Denis Naughten, Independent
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Sinn Fein
Senators
Colm Burke, Fine Gael
John Crown, Independent
David Cullinane, Sine Fein
John Gilroy, Labour Party
Imelda Henry, Fine Gael
Marc Mac Sharry, Fine Fail
Jillian Van Turnhout, Independent