Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Minister Frances Fitzgerald to Outline Vision for New Children’s Dept to Oireachtas Committee

5 Iúil 2011, 14:48

The plans and priorities for the newly established Department of Children and Youth Affairs will be analysed at a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children, tomorrow (6th) at 3:30 pm in Committee Room 4 of Leinster House.

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald TD will make her first address at the Committee. She will be questioned by members regarding her proposals for the Department and on which issues she intends to give priority.

Some of the topics which are likely to be addressed include;

  • Plans to establish a new childcare agency separate from the HSE
  • The status of the Children’s referendum
  • Putting the Children First guidelines on a statutory footing
  • Progress with moving responsibility for children and youth affairs from the Department of Health.

Committee Chairman, Denis Naughten TD said;
“For the first time, Children and Youth Affairs has been designated as a separate Government Department. This clearly represents the importance being attached to this sector and the high priority it has been afforded.

There are a number of pressing matters coming up in the area of child protection and children's rights. This meeting will enable the Minister to outline how she intends to tackle some of these issues and how she proposes to develop the role of the new Ministry.\"

ENDS

Daniel English
Oireachtas Communications Office
01 618 4484
087 6949926
Committee Membership:
Deputies
Jerry Buttimer, Fine Gael
Catherine Byrne, Fine Gael
Michael Colreavy, Sinn Fein
Ciara Conway, Labour Party
Regina Doherty, Fine Gael
Robert Dowds, Labour Party
Peter Fitzpatrick, Fine Gael
Seamus Healy, Independent
Derek Keating, Fine Gael
Billy Kelleher, Fine Fail
Eamonn Maloney, Labour Party
Charlie McConalogue, Fianna Fail
Mattie McGrath, Independent
Denis Naughten, Fine Gael
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Sinn Fein

Senators
Colm Burke, Fine Gael
John Crown, Independent
David Cullinane, Sine Fein
John Gilroy, Labour Party
Imelda Henry, Fine Gael
Marc Mac Sharry, Fine Fail
Jillian Van Turnhout, Independent

 

Barr
Roinn