Mr. Cormac Quinlan:

The language is one thing. In terms of practice, in the scenario Senator Ruane described, we would not be able to take a child into care on the basis of a parent with a criminal history. There would have to be evidence before the court that the criminal history or behaviour of that parent has impacted so significantly on the child to cause that child harm and it is likely to continue to cause that child harm. I could not use that as a basis.