asked the Minister for Education whether any consideration has been given to the revision of the Children Act, 1908.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Children Act Revision.
14.
Mr. O'Leary
Preliminary consideration has been given to this matter. It will not be feasible to introduce reasonably comprehensive legislation for this purpose before the required school accommodation and other facilities are available for the implementation of such revised procedures as it may be considered desirable to introduce. Such matters as the provision of the Remand and Assessment Unit in Finglas, the new special school at Oberstown and measures to promote the development of residential group homes for the children in care, have, accordingly, been given priority.
Was the Minister reading the reply to Question No. 14? I was talking about revising the 1908 Children Act.
I will re-read the reply:
Preliminary consideration has been given to this matter. It will not be feasible to introduce reasonably comprehensive legislation for this purpose before the required school accommodation and other facilities are available for the implementation of such revised procedures as it may be considered desirable to introduce. Such matters as the provision of the Remand and Assessment Unit in Finglas, the new special school at Oberstown and measures to promote the development of residential group homes for the children in care, have, accordingly, been given priority.
Is it the position that the State has so failed to provide these facilities that we must continue to use legislation passed in 1908 to deal with children in these areas despite the oft-quoted commitment of the Minister's part to cherish all the children of the nation equally?
What is true is that we have made very considerable progress in this matter, particularly during the past two years.
Would the raising of the age limit of criminal responsibility from seven to 12 years involve any serious legislative difficulties or problems?
I have no intention of bringing in piecemeal legislation.
Should there not be an immediate measure to bring in this legislation which would not involve any administrative difficulties?
I am calling Question No. 15.
This is a very important matter. Could the Minister say whether he would consider bringing certain portions of the law up to date rather than to leave the whole area covered by an Act of 1908?
Anybody listening to the Deputies opposite would get the impression that we have done nothing in this field whereas we have done a very considerable amount, particularly during the past two years, and even prior to the publishing of the Kennedy Report.
What about the age of criminal responsibility of children?
I do not propose dealing with this matter in a piecemeal fashion.