I have been entrusted, under the Programme for a Partnership Government, with responsibility for articulating and co-ordinating the implementation of Government policy in relation to travellers. The programme provides that, in discharging this role, I will be assisted by a task force whose terms of reference will include monitoring and pursuing implementation of Government policy in relation to travellers. The task force will replace the monitoring committee whose term of office expired on 31 December, 1992 and will hold its inaugural meeting on 9 July 1993.
I have given the task force wide-ranging terms of reference which will encompass the issue raised by the Deputy. The involvement of traveller children in begging impinges on the responsibilities of a number of Government Departments and State agencies such as the Departments of Health and Education, the Garda, health boards and local authorities.
An ad hoc committee which included officials of local authorities and the Eastern Health Board as well as representatives of the Garda and voluntary agencies dealing with travellers recently presented a report on vulnerable traveller children on the streets to Dublin City Council. The report recommends that an Outreach worker be appointed to assist with the identification and care of such children. The committee advised that the worker should be based in one of the voluntary agencies working with young travellers and that the post should be funded by the Department of the Environment through one of the local authorities in Dublin.
I understand that the report is at present being considered by Dublin City Council. In addition, the Eastern Health Board are at present examining the question of children begging in the context of their obligations and the development of plans under the Child Care Act, 1991.
I strongly support the recommendation in the report that an Outreach worker be appointed. However, this can be regarded as a short term solution only and action is required to address the problem in the longer term. To this end, I have directed an officer from my Department to meet with representatives of the relevant authorities to discuss ongoing plans to resolve the problem.