Dáil debates

Wednesday, 15 June 2005

Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Report Stage.

 

1:00 pm

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

I move amendment No. 1:

"In page 6, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following:

3.—References in the Principal Act to the Minister for Education and Science shall be construed as references to the Taoiseach.".

As we discussed on Committee Stage, the purpose of this amendment is to transfer the work of the commission to the Department of the Taoiseach from the Department of Education and Science. The reason is we believe it is inappropriate that the Department of Education and Science should be the sponsoring body for the legislation. It is also the central Department in regard to the various investigations being undertaken by the commission. The former chairperson of the commission, Ms Justice Laffoy, indicated that during her tenure, it was having a great deal of difficulty getting information from the Department, particularly in regard to the discovery of documents. That is documented in Ms Justice Laffoy's letters to the Department and in her letter of resignation from the commission. That is one aspect of the problem.

The other aspect is a more general one in that it is inappropriate that a Department being investigated, albeit for things which occurred in the past, should be the one providing the support, finance and the legislative backing for the investigations. The spokespersons from three of the Opposition parties have tabled this amendment which shows unity of purpose in this regard and the view of the Opposition that it is not appropriate that the Department of Education and Science should sponsor this legislation and play such an integral part in the investigations.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.