Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

One of the main points in the report, on page 260, was that some priests appear to have abused their positions as managers of boards of management to gain access to children in school. Does the Minister intend to make any changes to the procedures for appointing people to boards of management?

I hope the Minister is aware that Fine Gael published proposals on vetting that would apply to teachers and people working with children in any capacity. When will the Minister come forward with her proposals and legislation in this area? Does she have any intention of bringing that forward to include people on boards of management as well?

The Ferns Report acknowledged the necessity to use soft information to stop abuse of children. In Northern Ireland this type of information is frequently used in child protection procedures. Does the Minister have any proposals to use soft information? A recent newspaper article outlined the possibilities it offers as well as its potential risks.

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