asked the Minister for Health the provisions, if any, governing abandoned children or for those who have left their parents; if children in these circumstances are generally sent back to their parents or are kept in custodial care; if so, the number of these children in care and the location of same.

There are three main legal provisions for the care of children who have been abandoned or who are in need of care.

Under section 55 of the Health Act, 1953, health boards are empowered to assist a child who has been deserted by its parents or who is not being adequately supported by its parents, by placing the child in a foster home, in residential care, or if appropriate in employment. This is the usual way in which children come under the supervision of a health board.

Under section 59 of the Children Act 1908, a court may order that a child, who is found wandering abroad and not having any home or whose parents do not exercise proper guardianship, be put in the care of a relative or other fit person. A fit person may be an individual, or an organisation such as a health board. Where a health board is designated a fit person, the board have the choice of placing the child in a foster home or in residential care. A small number of children are supervised by the health board under this section.

Under section 58 1 (b) of the Children Act, 1908, a child who is found wandering and who does not have a home or whose parents do not exercise proper guardianship may be committed through the courts to a residential home approved by the Minister for Education. The number of children coming into care under this section is declining.

A decision to return a child to its family will be taken only when the health board are satisfied that the child will receive proper care and attention at home. At the end of March 1978, there were 994 children in foster care under the supervision of health boards. At the same time there were 897 children under the care of health boards. It is estimated that approximately 150 of these children were in care because of abandonment or desertion.

Is the Minister satisfied with the capacity of the various agencies to respond to the problem of abandoned children or children who have strayed from home? The figures he gave fortunately and thankfully relate to children in care but there are large numbers of children who regrettably are not under the aegis of any authority at the moment and who are abandoned and I am sure there are many more children we do not even know about.

Unfortunately there are such children and I am not satisfied that adequate provision is made for them at present. As the Deputy is probably aware we have a number of measures in train to deal with the situation.

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