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

It is primarily regarding my concerns about the failure to comply with furnishing a child safeguarding statement. While most of the amendments have been technical, this is a substantial one in that it attempts to bring forward a consequence for failure to produce a child safeguarding statement. With all due respect, it is utterly failing in its attempt. When one considers that failure to produce a safety statement in a business context often attracts criminal sanctions and not merely the name and shame sanction which the Minister and his officials are proposing. Given that we come from a dark history of child abuse and neglect, surely our children deserve legislation that will have real consequences for people who fail to comply. The original heads of the Bill the Government produced three years ago, contained penalties up to, and including, five years in prison. Now, four years later, not even monetary sanctions are proposed.

In a business context, at the end of the year, the Revenue Commissioners produce a list of tax defaulters to name and shame them. However, severe monetary sanctions are also imposed on these people. Under company legislation, people are named and shamed but there are other consequences up to, and including, imprisonment. I have grave concerns regarding the amendment as proposed. We highlighted it on Second Stage in the Dáil and said there needed to be tough sanctions. Although the Minister has made an attempt, it does not go far enough. I want to hear what he has to say about it. We need to go much further.