Vol. 431 No. 8
37 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Health the time scale he envisages for the implementation of Part VII of the Child Care Act, 1991, given the priority now being given to Parts III, IV, and VI; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
77 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Health the time scale he envisages for the implementation of Part VII of the Child Care Act, 1991 given the priority now being given to Parts III, IV and VI; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions No. 37 and 77 together.
As I indicated to the House on 25 May in the debate on the report of the Kilkenny Incest Investigation, the Government has agreed to my proposals to implement all the remaining sections of the Child Care Act over a three year period, commencing with those provisions that relate to the protection of children from abuse and neglect. The task of recruiting the key personnel, putting the required arrangements in place, providing training and the myriad of other tasks to be undertaken to implement the Act has already commenced. As an indication of its determination in the matter, the Government has decided that in 1993 an additional £5 million will be provided for the child care services, amounting to £10 million in a full year. An investment of the same scale will be made in each of the next three years.
The provisions referred to by the Deputies, which relate to the inspection and supervision of pre-school services, will be brought into operation within the three-year time-scale when the provisions relating to child abuse have been put in place.
