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10 1997

SOCIAL WELFARE ACT, 1997

PART VIII

Amendment of Section 4 of National Social Service Board Act, 1984

National Social Service Board — functions.

37. —(1) The National Social Service Board Act, 1984 is hereby amended by—

(a) the substitution in section 4 (as amended by the National Social Service Board Regulations, 1988 (S.I. No. 19 of 1988)) for subsection (1) of the following subsection:

“(1) The functions of the Board shall be—

(a) to advise the Minister and keep him or her informed on the development of social services generally,

(b) whenever the Minister so requests to advise him or her and keep him or her informed on such social services generally, or aspects or branches thereof, as he or she may specify,

(c) to support, promote and develop the provision of impartial information on the impact of social policy for Government and to service providers in order to highlight issues of concern to users of social services and to contribute to the planning and delivery of these services,

(d) to promote greater accessibility, co-ordination and public awareness of social services and of information, advice and advocacy services delivered for those purposes by both the statutory and voluntary sectors,

(e) to promote and support the development of independent information, advice and advocacy services throughout the country to ensure that all citizens have access to accurate, comprehensive and clear information to enable them to avail of the full range of social services,

(f) to promote and support the development of the independent voluntary social services sector,

(g) to give effect to their support where appropriate by providing financial or other resources such as integrated information, training and development services,

(h) to promote, develop, encourage and assist, whether by means of the provision of financial or material aid, personnel or services or otherwise, the work in relation to social services of such persons as the Minister may specify, and

(i) to develop services to address identified needs whenever the Minister so requests.”, and

(b) the substitution in section 1 for the definition of “Minister” of the following definition:

“‘Minister’ means the Minister for Social Welfare.”.

(2) Regulations 4, 5 and 6 of the National Social Service Board Regulations, 1988 (S.I. No. 19 of 1988), are hereby revoked.