Dr. Fergal Lynch:

My understanding was that it was an amendment to the legislation which was introduced fairly late in the day during the debate. I was not involved in it but I could not honestly say it was designed and thought through. All that happened was that section 26 was included to provide for the appointment of a GAL where a child was not party to proceedings and where the court was satisfied that it was necessary in the interests of the child to have one. The section also provided that the costs incurred by the GAL would be paid by the then-health boards, which role has been taken over by Tusla. That, as I understand it, was the extent of the thinking that went into the legislation at the time. It was very basic.