Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

This is a fundamental issue. There is a parallel in the history of legislation. In 19th century Britain, for example, some people were interested in charitably dealing with the victims of child labour, including children being sent up chimneys. However, the campaigns that were important were those that outlawed child labour rather than the ones that were delimited in terms of some kind of philanthropic intent, however well merited.

I appeal to the Minister of State to recommit the Bill in respect of this amendment. The Minister of State would lose nothing by conceding the word "cause". However, we are expressing confidence in those NGOs that have approached us. NGOs, charitable organisations and others have enough to do. They will not deliberately seek to go beyond their main work. It might be said that we need to protect them from themselves. By saying that, the Minister of State would be saying that he is putting the boundary around what they might do. I prefer to operate on the basis of trust.

There is a philosophical problem regarding this matter. The activity in the charitable area is residual and comes about in terms of issues about the structures of society. It would be a very great limitation not to be able to locate one's cause and change the structure of society in areas such as child labour, slavery, trade or the abuse of bonded labour.

For the sake of housekeeping and given that we need to move on, I will oppose amendment No. 6. I hope to move amendment No. 7 without the need to repeat my arguments, which are the same ones I have made. I am sorry that I cannot give way on the issue. I again appeal to the Minister of State to agree to recommit the Bill in respect of this amendment as is happening in respect of certain other amendments. There would be an opportunity to avoid a division if he were willing to concede that much.

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