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

With respect to the Minister, this is just a slap-down. Her response does not hold, given any scrutiny of the points we have discussed, for example: "the agency shall in the performance of its functions demonstrate high standards of performance, transparency and accountability". We might have assumed as much and would hardly expect it to perform other than to the highest standards. That is all accepted and understood. We could go to paragraph 9 which states "the agency shall use the resources available to it in the most beneficial, effective and efficient manner". Why say that? We can assume and presume that it will not be wasteful and will not discard without due consideration in terms of cost. Either it merits inclusion or it does not. I do not expect the agency to be wasteful or to employ resources, scarce as they are today, in anything other than a beneficial, effective and efficient manner.

There is no consistency in the Minister's reply. It is just a formula of words of rejection. I record this with regret. I believe the principles of equality and non-discrimination are an absolute imperative for inclusion in this legislation. We have ample reason to believe this. History shows report after report revealing that anything but equality and non-discrimination were the order of the day. It has been a weakness of structures in the past that they have failed to heed and take note of this.

In further areas of the Bill we will address the right of the child to be heard and matters pertaining. We need clear understanding on the part of all concerned that children must be treated equally and in a non-discriminatory manner. We must say this because historically in Irish society they have been treated unequally and in a discriminatory way. All the evidence is stacked up on shelf after shelf in the Minister's office, as she knows only too well. It is not only about scarce resources but about the standards we expect and I believe we should affirm this in laying out the functions of the agency from day one. We want nothing less.