Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

If a particular issue concerning the programme needs to be addressed then well and good. To be honest, however, having examined the programme, I cannot see one. At the time it was introduced, scare-mongering comments were made by individuals, which worried parents to such an extent they felt they should pull out of it, without having realised what the programme was about to do. In recent years, everybody has become more enlightened about child protection. Perhaps these are unnecessary but deep-seated views, which started a number of years ago but might still exist. For one reason or another they have not been addressed but I wish to address them. I want every child to benefit from the Stay Safe programme and I wish to reassure people that there is nothing to be worried about.

Since it is a full-scale survey, as opposed to a sample one, it is my intention that the results will come back to us so they can be followed up locally.

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