Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
1182. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the drafting of the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16338/23]
View answerToday (18th April 2023) the Government has approved the General Scheme of the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2022.
The Child Care Act 1991 is the primary piece of legislation regulating child care and child protection policy in Ireland. It is a wide-ranging piece of legislation, which, at its core, seeks to promote the welfare of children who may not be receiving adequate care and protection.
The child protection and welfare landscape in Ireland has changed greatly since the Act’s full commencement, in terms of both the State’s response and the nature and complexity of child protection and welfare matters. There is broad agreement that there are sections of the Act that require to be updated in order to reflect changes, both in society and in the institutional structures providing child welfare and protection services, and also in our understanding of children’s rights.
The Child Care (Amendment) Act 2022, which provided for the regulation of guardians ad litem was enacted in July 2022. I can confirm to the Deputy that work is ongoing in my Department to establish an Executive Office from which the new national GAL service will operate.
The General Scheme, approved today, has been developed on foot of a broader review of the Act of 1991 and extensive stakeholder consultation and as such it proposes amendments to a significant number of existing provisions. On foot of Government approval, I have today also referred the Scheme to the relevant Joint Oireachtas Committee for pre-legislative scrutiny.
