Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As I said earlier, this is optional and is not something we can be certain the Minister or whoever follows her will do. The section provides that the Minister may at any time issue additional guidelines. I suggest that consistency is of such importance that it is not an additional guideline, but something we expect from day one. It is not an afterthought but is something that is required now. We will fight the "may" or "shall" battle with later amendments but, with respect, I do not believe that section 48 achieves what I and Deputy Troy hoped to achieve in arguing the case for consistency. As I said, I could bring to the attention of the Minister any number of files in which inconsistency has been a huge concern to us as voices in the interest of children over a number of years. It is from the get-go, from day one, that we want to make it clear that we expect consistency.