Minister Daðason expresses sorrow over tragic fire death of 17-year-old boy in Stuðlar

The Minister of Education and Children’s Affairs, Ásmundur Einar Daðason, expressed profound sorrow over the tragic death of a 17-year-old boy who died in a fire in Stuðlar. In an interview, he described the past 24 hours as the most challenging of his ministerial career.

Daðason announced plans for significant changes to treatment resources but noted that any legal amendments would need to wait until after the upcoming elections. “I am deeply committed to addressing children’s issues, and above all, I wish for progress in these matters,” he stated.

Beginning the interview, Daðason extended his condolences to the boy’s family and friends and thanked the staff at the Children and Family Service and SÁÁ for their prompt response to the incident. SÁÁ has made provisions for young individuals previously housed in the emergency unit at Stuðlar by temporarily providing housing at Vogi while repairs are underway.

He acknowledged a longstanding shortage of long-term treatment solutions for severe cases, highlighting that this issue has persisted for several years, not just since spring. Daðason mentioned efforts to restructure treatment resources at Skálatún in Mosfellsbær, with plans to transfer a treatment department there temporarily.

He expressed frustration that insufficient progress had been made despite a seven-year cooperative government agreement. “It is clear that certain matters take longer than anticipated,” he remarked, emphasizing the need to prioritize funding for children’s issues across society.