Vol. 421 No. 2
105 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the programme which is in place to provide support for children who are daily found in the streets busking or begging for money at times when they should be at school; and if they are to have any long term opportunities open to them.
Reports from the health boards indicate that the problem of children begging on the streets is most prevalent in the Dublin city centre area and mainly involves children from the travelling community. I am very concerned about this problem and I am asking the health board for an urgent report on the steps that they are taking to deal with it in the context of the new statutory powers and duties which are being given to health boards under the Child Care Act, 1991. I shall communicate with the Deputy as soon as I receive this report. The Eastern Health Board, in conjunction with the Department of Education, support a school and pre-school for 75 traveller children at St. Columbas Day Care Centre, Strand Street, Dublin 1. The school is linked to Exchange House, Essex Street, Dublin 2, which is operated by the Dublin Committee for Travelling People. Children are collected each day and brought to the school and meals, health care and other back-up services are provided at Exchange House. The Eastern Health Board provides grant-aid towards these services.
