asked the Minister for Health whether he will consider establishing Children's Day on a formal national basis and giving it the support normally associated with Sport for All Day.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Children's Day.
15.
I do not consider that the establishment of a children's day on a formal national basis would add to its significance to any great extent. However, health boards have been asked to give their support in every way possible at local level.
I can at the same time assure the Deputy that I and my colleagues in the Government will, through our various departmental policies, be laying greater emphasis on the advancement of the well-being of children in general. For example, I shall shortly be announcing the establishment of a national council for children to advise me on matters relating to child welfare.
Is the Minister aware that the voluntary groups associated with the activities occurring already on what they have specified as Children's Day consider there to be a great need for the kind of support given to other such days? In their opinion the extension of the activities would lead to a greater awareness of the needs of children in special deprived groups and would lead to an increasing awareness of these groups and to the integration of them? Would the Minister agree that these voluntary groups deserve the support of some official recognition—the kind of support given to other very worthy activities?
The question of official recognition is referred to in the reply. We will be happy to give our support to the local organisations and to ask the health boards to do the same. The question of setting a day aside especially for children, a public holiday, would be a matter in the first instance for the Department of Labour.
What is being referred to is not the question of such days being declared a public holiday but the question of giving the support of formal recognition by the Minister to such activity.
Has the Deputy a question?
The special day might occur at a weekend. I am asking the Minister to examine this proposal again and to meet with the organisations who have made it for the purpose of trying to reach some mutually agreed situation. The Minister might consider this further rather than treating it in this half-hearted fashion.
The matter has not been treated in a half-hearted fashion. There has been a specific approach and there have been discussions. The Department have no objection in principle to the proposals but the question of undertaking liability for expenditure in that connection is a separate question as also is the matter of having the special day declared a public holiday.