asked the Minister for Health if he will amend his Department's guidelines on non-accidental injury to children and include in the section entitled "The Legal Position" a statement that a health board may apply to the High Court to have children at risk made wards of court and taken into care in circumstances in which it is not possible to seek a care order pursuant to the provisions of the Children Act, 1908.

11.

asked the Minister for Health whether he will undertake a major re-examination of the services available to protect children from non-accidental injury; and whether he will as a matter of urgency require all social work personnel attached to each of the health boards to undertake an immediate review of the action that should be taken in respect of all cases of non-accidental injury to children or suspected non-accidental injury that have come to their notice over the past five years.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together.

My Department have already initiated an examination of the operation of the guidelines on non-accidental injury to children. Directors of community care have responsibility for monitoring and co-ordinating the management of non-accidental injury cases in their area. They have been asked to consult with relevant members of their team as well as local hospital staff and to report on the adequacy and effectiveness of the procedures outlined in the guidelines in the light of experience to date. This consultation process will of course include social work personnel.

The Deputy's proposed amendment to the section of the guidelines dealing with the legal position will be considered in the context of this review. I might mention however that I shall be introducing a new, comprehensive Children's Bill in this House later in the year and it is likely that the new provisions will obviate the need for the type of proceedings which the Deputy has in mind.