Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I do not know how to describe the circumstances that obtain. With respect to Deputies White and McNamara, there was an almost jocund effort to refer to my efforts this morning to ensure we had this debate. We were not to have the debate but I argued the case for it. It was only before coming into the House to deal with Report Stage of the Bill that I received notice that my amendment would not be taken. I make no apology for putting forward the strongest challenge to this decision and I have told the House twice already that I welcome the move to overturn that decision and to allow us have this debate. I hope Members recognise that it is very important that we did.

There is no unreasonableness on my part. I do not have to be convinced of the bona fides of the Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald. I have acknowledged it on many occasions and there is no stronger voice in support of the establishment of the Department in this House than mine. All that said, we are failing to recognise an important point. It is not good enough to state there is a mandatory obligation. I believe there is a mandatory obligation on the House to ensure there is a statutory requirement and an enforceable right for young people on attaining their 18th birthday to have the necessary State care and support they will need facing out into the world at that young age, coming from the circumstances they have and without many of the supports familial, community et al that so many of us enjoyed in embarking on those first steps into young adulthood. Making commitments, however genuinely expressed, are not enough at this point. This is a Bill which has spent two years going through various stages of address and a second bite in a six-month period and we cannot get this firmed down. The statutory right should be enshrined in the legislation and I strongly hold to this view. I will not add further to this. I have put the arguments and heard the responses.

See this speech in context