Michael Ring
Ceist:5 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans he has to introduce a charter of children's rights to include a guarantee of treatment within one year. [19180/01]
Ceisteanna–Questions. Priority Questions. - Charter of Children's Rights.
The area of children's rights is complex. Both historically and constitutionally the family has been the unit of society which received special protection and children's rights have been taken into account within this unit. The Constitution Review Group in its report, published in 1996, made a number of recommendations in this area. The all-party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution is considering the report of the Constitution Review Group and the committee has been requested, on behalf of the Government, to prioritise its consideration of the issue of the constitutional underpinning of individual children's rights.
Nonetheless, there have been substantial developments in the area of strengthening children's rights in Ireland in recent years. One of the most significant developments was the launch last year of the Government's national children's strategy to further progress the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The goals and objectives of the strategy support the implementation of children's rights. One of the objectives in the strategy specifically refers to children being supported to enjoy opti mum physical, mental and emotional well-being and specifically targets children's waiting lists for services, including waiting times for ENT, cardiac and orthodontic procedures.
Under the strategy, it is proposed to establish an ombudsman for children as an independent office. The necessary legislation is being prepared by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel and I hope to bring it before the House during the next session. The ombudsman will be a powerful, independent advocate for children. There have also been important legislative developments in Ireland, which strengthen and protect children's rights in key areas. The most notable have been the Status of Children Act, 1987, the Child Care Act, 1991, the Children Act, 1997, and the Children Bill, 1999, which was passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas yesterday.
Substantial progress has been made to date in implementing the national children's strategy. Funding of £2 million has been allocated in 2001 to commence the establishment of the new infrastructure necessary to implement the strategy. The National Children's Office has been established on an administrative basis. The second meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on children is due to take place next month. The priorities of the children's office have already been agreed by the sub-committee and they are the implementation of the Children Bill, 1999, and the development of a national play and recreation policy. The National Children's Advisory Council has been established and among its membership are children. The council is working in the areas of the voice of children and play and recreation.
A special session of the United Nations General Assembly will be held from 19-21 September 2001 for follow-up to the World Summit for Children which took place in 1990. A comprehensive end of decade report for Ireland has been prepared by the National Children's Office and a draft submitted to UNICEF.
Deputies will also be aware that the Department of Health and Children is developing a new health strategy to provide for improved health status and the development, reform and modernisation of the health and personal social services in the next five to seven years. The new strategy is planned for completion in the next few months and will comprehensively deal with all aspects of the health service, including waiting lists for children and adults. In the light of the above and pending the outcome of the all-party Oireachtas committee's deliberations, I have no plans to introduce a charter of children's rights at this time.
The Minister of State referred to the appointment of an ombudsman for children and various European legislation but made no reference to the problems facing children in the State. Is it right that children must wait for four years for orthodontic treatment in my health board area or one year for a simple procedure such as the removal of a tooth under anaesthetic? We say we cherish children under the Constitution, yet a mother of a 13 year old child who suffered from cancer had to come to my clinic recently to see if I could get a bed for the child in St. Luke's Hospital. What can I tell that mother and others parents who are waiting for beds for their children? The children are upset and they do not want to go to school. I want to know what the Minister of State, who has responsibility for children, will do within the health boards to resolve these problems.
The Deputy will be aware that each Department and Minister retains responsibility for the items set out in the national children's strategy. However, he will be interested to know that between March 2000 and March 2001 the number of children awaiting cardiac surgery for more than six months decreased by 78%. The number waiting for general surgery for more than six months decreased by 16% and the number of children waiting for ophthalmology services for more than six months decreased by 50%.
What about orthodontics?
The number waiting for ENT services for more than six months decreased by 29%. The Minister, Deputy Martin, will deal with orthodontics later. The Deputy will also be aware that £5 million has been allocated this year for the treatment of orthodontic services. The overall target for waiting list initiative funding is to ensure that no child waits longer than six months for treatment. I hope that will be the result of the new health strategy when it is established by the Department and the Government.
Will the Minister of State consider putting a specialised person in every health board to deal with children's problems, whether it is orthodontics, cardiac or other procedures, rather than allowing parents to worry about waiting lists and to beg people to get treatment? That is a reasonable request.
In the same way as the Deputy would not ask a dentist to do heart surgery, it is important to look at this but we cannot jump into it immediately.
That is a bit like asking a Fianna Fáil Deputy to be a Minister.
The Minister of State is getting off the hook.
The time for priority questions has expired. We now move on to other questions.