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Minister Fitzgerald announces members designate for the board of the new Child and Family Agency
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald , left, with Mr Gordon Jeyes, CEO , Child and Family Agency and Ms Norah Gibbons Chairperson (designate) of the new Family Support Agency board.
Children & Youth Affairs Minister Frances Fitzgerald has announced the appointment of members to the Board of the Family Support Agency.
The first meeting of this new board took place today at the Family Support Agency offices at Earlsfort Terrace.
Minister Fitzgerald said:
I am delighted with the calibre of the board membership and the wealth of knowledge and expertise which they bring to this project which is a key priority for the Government. The Child and Family Agency represents the single greatest transformation in children and family services in the history of the state. It is therefore only appropriate that the membership of this new Board brings together highly qualified and experienced members with a range of high-level skills, not just in the areas of child protection, family support and education welfare, but also in critical areas of public sector reform, corporate governance, financial management, communications and change management.
In addition to Chairperson Norah Gibbons, the Minister has today named six further members: Mr. PJ Fitzpatrick, Ms. Gary Joyce, Mr. Noel Kelly, Ms. Sylda Langford, Ms. Ita Mangan, Mr. Rory O’Ferrall and Dr. Noelle Spring.
Commenting on the appointment of Ms, Norah Gibbons as Chairperson, the Minister said:
The Board of the new Agency which will be led by Norah Gibbons, a woman steeped in experience of family support, child protection and the voluntary world, who will be a true champion for reform of children’s services. Along with CEO-designate Gordon Jeyes and his staff, I am confident that the team we have put in place will deliver on our shared goal – that is the development of a world class service for children and families in Ireland.
The Family Support Agency is one of a number of agencies being incorporated into the new Child & Family Agency. Pending the legal establishment of the Child and Family Agency the existing statutory functions of the Board of the Family Support Agency need to remain in place. The Board will also be required to provide oversight and direction for the organisational preparations in respect of the new Agency. In addition to the Family Support Agency, existing HSE child and family services and the National Educational Welfare Board will be incorporated in the new Child and Family agency on its establishment.
Read the full press release and biographies of board members
here.
Read a Statement by Ms. Norah Gibbons, Chairperson of the Family Support Agency,
here.