Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I point out to Deputy Murnane O'Connor that Senator Clonan spoke earlier about two boys of 12 years of age going to school for the first time. That is a damning indictment of the services we have today. If the shoe were on the other foot and the parents did not send the children to school for 21 days, they would be prosecuted, yet we can have a situation where children do not go to school for seven years and nothing seems to happen. That is why we feel there is a need for reform of the law in this area. It is not just we who are saying it. It is the former Minister with responsibility for children and for health, who saw this at first hand and who came forward with this legislation. It has already been passed by the Upper House because it was felt this area needed to be reformed. What we are doing is facilitating that.

We accept there are technical issues, drafting issues, issues in regard to language and issues that parents have with regard to it, and we are willing to take all of those on board. However, it is a question of whether we need legislation, and we believe we do.