Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
The parties to the meetings included Local Garda Inspectors, GMIB Inspectors, Social Workers
engaged in after hours and separated children seeking asylum teams.
The steps taken to address risk issues in relation to separated children include:
• Collaborative interviewing at points of entry between the Garda and social workers.
• Planned surveillance of those at risk of going missing from the point of entry to the
initial period in placement and a range of other activities undertaken by An Garda
Síochána.
The revised Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children deals
with the recognition, reporting and management of child safety concerns. It emphasises the
need to safeguard and to protect children, particularly vulnerable children. It specifically highlights
the roles and responsibilities of the HSE and An Garda Síochána, as the two agencies
with statutory responsibility for child protection and forms an integral part of their existing
operations and practice. Where the HSE has identified a concern regarding child trafficking,
this is referred to the Gardaí and the two statutory organisations work closely together to
ensure the safety of the child. HSE management and staff have been closely involved in collaboration
with the Department of Justice and Equality in the development of the National Action
Plan on Anti-Human Trafficking and every effort is being made to fulfil commitment to combat
trafficking as outlined in this Plan.
Child Abuse
623. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the
number of incidents of child or youth abuse reported in each of the past five years to date; the
extent to which the various back up services have increased or are likely to be increased to
meet ongoing requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8399/12]
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald): As this is a service
matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy with the
most up-to-date information.
Departmental Staff
624. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will
outline on a yearly basis from 2008 to 2015 in respect of staff leaving the public service in her
Department; the cost of lump sums; the cost of severance payments; the cost of pensions of
those leaving the service through retirement or other means; the loss of the pension levy from
employees who have left; the loss of superannuation payments from retired or departed
employees, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8431/12]
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald): Since the establishment
of my Department in June 2011, one member of staff has retired with an associated lump
sum and pension cost of €95,504 and €29,820 respectively. It is not possible to identify the
number of staff retiring and associated costs between now and 2015 for a number of reasons:
(a) the decision to retire is a personal matter for individual staff to make and (b) different
retirement conditions apply depending which scheme they are a member of. For example, some
staff can retire at any time between the ages of 60 and 65 years while other staff must continue
to work until at least aged 65 years. Another complicating factor is that retirement benefits are
based on final salary and final pensionable service, all of which may be subject to change
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