Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 13 Mar 1996

Vol. 463 No. 1

Written Answers. - Emergency Care Orders.

Liz O'Donnell

Ceist:

43 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Health if he is in a position to supply the information Deputy Liz O Donnell requested in Parliamentary Question No. 201 of 23 January 1996, regarding the number of children, by health board area, who were the subject of emergency care orders in each of the last three years; the number of places where such children can be placed by way of foster parents and residential care by health board areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5772/96]

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Mr. Currie)

The detailed information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table.

As emergency care order only came into operation on 31 October last, I have included details of the number of children who were the subject of place of safety orders for each of the years 1993, 1994 and 1995.

Number of Children who were the Subject of Place of Safety Orders/Emergency Care Orders and Number of Residential and Foster Care Places

Health Board	Place of Safety Orders 1993	Place of Safety Orders 1994	Place of Safety/ Emergency Care Orders 1995	No. of Res. Care Places	No. of Foster Care Places/Families *
Eastern	51	47	105	386	1033families
Midland	9	5	9	24	242places
Mid-Western	10	10	24	40	228families
North-Eastern	7	6	26	20	316places
North-Western	5	8	6	10	54places
South-Eastern	7	21	19	76	286places
Southern	50	57	45	100	210families
Western	27	14	11	44	77families
Total	166	168	245	700	Minimum of2,446 places

*As some figures refer to the number of families the number of places could be greater (where more than one child is fostered).