Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will make two observations as a practising Deputy, not so much as a Chairman. I ask the Department to do a favour, not for me, but for the children. Dr. Lynch mentioned the possibility that this service could end up within the courts system. That is no place for a structure for vulnerable children to be. It is not acceptable that before they even start the process, they are part of the courts structure. It is not child-friendly. We have talked about administrative convenience and why we are where we are regarding the payment. If the Department is here in the interests of the children, I ask it not to lob the administrative convenience system in as part of the Courts Service. It is the wrong place to tell children in a vulnerable situation where they will be going. Of course there will be interaction, but they should not be placed in the Courts Service.

I ask the Department to do us all a second favour. I ask it to give in the new legislation what it calls a guardian ad liteman English name that people can understand. I do not want to see the term "guardian ad litem" in legislation. We had a debate yesterday about guardians ad litemand guardians adwhatever. We are semi-educated people in this committee. That phrase should not be used with children. The Department should at least speak to them in their language and use an English term. It is only a small point-----