SELECT COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND CHILDREN díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 26 May 1998

Vol. 1 No. 2

Report of Select Committee.

Chairman

In accordance with Standing Order 79B I propose the following draft report:

The Select Committee on Health and Children has completed its consideration of the Children (Reporting of Alleged Abuse) Bill, 1998, and has made amendments thereto and has amended the Title to read as follows:

AN ACT TO PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM CIVIL LIABILITY TO PERSONS WHO REPORT CHILD ABUSE IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, TO PROVIDE PROTECTION TO SUCH PERSONS FROM PENALISATION BY THEIR EMPLOYERS, TO PROVIDE FOR AN OFFENCE IN RESPECT OF THE FALSE REPORTING OF CHILD ABUSE AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS.

Report agreed to.

Ordered to report to the Dáil accordingly.

Mr. Shatter

I thank you for chairing this Committee Stage and the Minister of State for engaging with us. We have disagreed on some issues but we agreed on many others. We have improved the Bill in a number of ways. I am afraid we will continue to disagree about the issues on which we voted today. I urge the Minister of State to take the Report and Final Stages of the Bill before the summer recess so that the Bill might be passed by the Seanad before the long vacation. As we disagree on only a couple of issues I do not see why it should be a lengthy Report Stage. I hope the Minister will be able to facilitate us in that way.

Mr. Fahey

I will be happy to take Report Stage before the recess. I thank Deputy Shatter for initiating the Bill. While we have agreed to differ on one major item, we have had a very constructive discussion and agreement on most other issues. I am happy we have a good Bill. I thank him for his work on the Bill and his co-operation with us. We set out to try to reach agreement through discussion with Deputy Shatter and he was most accommodating, which is how legislation should be considered. Only time will tell the outcome of the matters on which we have agreed to disagree.

I also thank my officials who put a great deal of work into this Bill in a relatively short period. It is significant that it has passed Committee Stage so quickly. I also thank the chairman, his staff and the members who contributed to the debate.

Chairman

I thank the Minister of State for the erudite and constructive way in which he dealt with the Bill. I congratulate Deputy Shatter on his initiative and the Bill's successful Committee Stage.

The Select Committee adjourned sine die at 4.20 p.m.