Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

The promised legislation I wish to raise ties in closely with the Standing Order 31 issue raised by my colleague, Deputy Gogarty. It relates to the register of persons considered unsafe to work with children which according to the list has no publication date. In view of the fact that there are guidelines already published in Northern Ireland and the fact that my colleague Deputy Boyle was told in January that the cross-departmental working group reporting to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on the proposal is in effect taking action on the matter, is there a need for the legislation, since Northern Ireland seems to have gone ahead without waiting for the legislation? Are we just holding on for the legislation without doing anything? Should we be acting?

See this speech in context