Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 February 2006
503 Ms O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of information from the Department of Health and Children that the Regina Coeli Hostel was subject to its inspection, the Morning Star Mother and Baby Home will be added to the Schedules to the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4199/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 4 of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 provides that for an institution to be considered for inclusion in the Schedule to the Act, it must be an industrial school, a reformatory school, an orphanage, a children's home, a special school for children with a physical or intellectual disability or a hospital providing medical or psychiatric services to people with a physical or mental disability or mental illness. It must also be one in which children were placed and resident and in respect of which a public body had a regulatory or inspection function.
The case raised by the Deputy concerns the Regina Coeli Hostel which provided shelter for homeless women, mothers with young children and expectant mothers. However, as hostel facilities do not come within the scope of section 4 of the Act, it is not open to me to consider the inclusion of this institution in the Schedule. The question of including additional institutions has now been fully considered by my Department in consultation with relevant Departments and it is not proposed to add any further institutions to the Schedule.
