Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)

It would be nice if we could act in a level-headed manner but, to be honest, only headless chickens would act more erratically than some Ministers here today. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has accused the Irish people of drumming up a frenzy about his incompetence. The reason there is such a frenzy is the way the people felt they were being treated with regard to this issue. The Minister was prepared to go on holidays for a week before the issue was raised and he failed to anticipate its importance. That is why we are here now.

On the day after the Supreme Court judgment, the Ombudsman for Children wrote to the Minister, fulfilling her own statutory mandate, because she expected there would be urgent legislation on this issue. The Tánaiste tried to use that letter to imply somehow that the Ombudsman for Children supported her in delaying the matter and in going on holidays for another week. Of course, the Ombudsman for Children totally denied that this morning.

Section 5 of this legislation will turn out to be the most contentious but even Ministers are unclear on what it is supposed to mean. The Minister, Deputy O'Donoghue, talked about a 16 year old girl having sex with somebody who is over 18. In his bluster, he said he did not want to see that 16 and a half year old girl criminalised. It is just as well that he should stay away from justice issues since losing that portfolio. It is not the 16 and a half year old girl that will be criminalised, it is the person over 18, whether that person is male or female, who will be criminalised.

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