asked the Minister for Health the allocation which has been made in the Estimates for the implementation of the task force report on child care; and when he will bring legislation before the Dáil.

While there is no specific allocation in the published Estimates for the implementation of the task force report, I would hope that it will be possible, within the allocations made for the various elements of the community welfare programme, to bring about some improvements in child welfare services along the lines generally envisaged in the report. I might also mention that the allocation of £2 million for the establishment of a National Community Development Agency, referred to by my colleague, the Minister for Finance, in his budget speech, will facilitate initiatives to meet the needs of various deprived groups including children. In addition I shall have a small sum available for special developments and I will be giving sympathetic attention to spending this largely in the child care area. I am not in a position to give the Deputy further details at the moment.

At present I cannot say when exactly the new Childrens Bill will come before the House but I would expect to have it ready before the summer recess.

The Minister indicated in his reply that he will be introducing legislation along the lines of the recommendations of the task force report. Is the Minister in a position to indicate what areas this legislation will affect? Will it relate to a particular portion of the task force report or will it be concerned with implementing all of the principal recommendations of the report?

I made it clear earlier that I welcome the task force report and its major recommendations. I will be preparing a Bill which will include its major references and recommendations.