Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

On behalf of the Green Party I welcome the developments in the North yesterday. Credit is due to the Taoiseach and his Government and officials and to former taoisigh for the progress to date and to the many people involved on both sides of the Border and in Britain. Given the significance of the developments and the hope they will continue will the Taoiseach state whether on this side of the Border a programme of change and a response to the developments in the North is in place, including promised legislation? I not only mean the monetary side as mentioned by Deputy Kenny; I also mean such matters as were raised here on many occasions including legislation such as that on the register of persons unsafe to work with children. We know from the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, that a serious problem exists when it comes to liability for people working with children.

See this speech in context