Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I concur with Deputy Ó Caoláin. On so many occasions the Minister has spoken about the need for a cross-party approach to this area, most recently at the launch of the Early Years strategy. We have worked with the various non-governmental organisations, NGOs, and interested groups to bring forward amendments to strengthen this legislation. If this amendment made a material difference to the Bill or a change to policy, then we can argue the merits of it.

However, not to accept an amendment of a technical nature which does what it says on the tin is very much adopting an attitude of "my way or the highway" to the very people the Minister asked to work with her in the area of child welfare and protection. It is demoralising and disheartening just to go through the motions on Committee Stage. We could easily have sent our amendments to the Department and the Minister could have got her officials to send a note to us to explain why she was not accepting them.