Mr. Bernard Gloster:

We are engaged with the Department on it. Legislation to put matters on a statutory footing is something I would welcome. It would put the service at a step remove from Tusla, which would be appropriate. The Deputy is correct in his point about the cost of the service. Approximately half, if not slightly more, of the total legal spend in the agency goes on guardian ad litemservices and associated legal costs. It is a very significant cost in any one year and we do not have control over it. We have some control over the fees, and the agency made an effort to bring some balance in that regard a few years ago. There was a lot of activity on the legislation prior to the Covid crisis and in the previous Dáil. The pandemic has impacted that, as has the legislative programme of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. To be fair to the Secretary General of that Department, for whom I do not want to speak, it has had a very heavy programme, with the measures to do with information on tracing and other legislative demands. Activity has resumed now on the legislation and I hope to see its passage through the Houses as soon as possible.