Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

As both the Minister and Deputy O'Sullivan have said, child protection is the most important thing. The Stay Safe programme is only one way of achieving such protection but it is a vital part. The Minister also referred to staff vetting procedures as another method but we still do not have such vetting. It will be some time before it is made retrospective but new staff will be vetted from September. We must deal, however, with staff who are already in the education system, including volunteers, by introducing proper procedures and policies. We are starting the vetting system now but surely making the Stay Safe programme mandatory is a step that needs to be taken without delay. The Minister said she was open to the idea of making the programme mandatory but, prior to the survey, did she receive any responses from those schools as to the reasons why they are not implementing it? The Minister said it was mostly parents who were unhappy with the programme and that is the response I have received also. It is not acceptable, however, for one or two parents or a group of parents in any particular area to stop all the children in that area from getting a programme that is necessary.

Does the Minister have any idea of the timescale for completion of the programme, with what I hope is a view to making it mandatory?

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