Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have sympathy for Mr. Roberts if he represents a parent. I mention Mr. Roberts in particular because he is on the public record having made submissions to this process and Bill but he could be any solicitor around the country. This is an adversarial system. I have sympathy for the Minister when she states that the guardian ad litemis not automatically a party to proceedings. However, we are trying to strike a balance and recognise the fact that the system operates differently in different parts of the country. Deputy Rabbitte mentioned a child with intellectual disabilities or a child with no voice and there are any number of types of case to which we can refer but in certain parts of this country, there is no automatic entitlement, right or prospect of a child having a guardian ad litem. Does the Minister acknowledge that is the case?