Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Murphy report into child abuse in the archdiocese of Dublin reveals a litany of abuse of staggering proportions. Those in a position of authority within the Church who knowingly allowed this to continue deserve condemnation. In his capacity as spokesperson on children for the Fine Gael party, Deputy Alan Shatter pointed out that both the State and State agencies are still failing to protect children, protection to which they are properly entitled.

We now accept, as does the Government, the advice of the Attorney General and the all-party Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children that there is no need for a referendum on legislating for soft information. The failure of the Government to implement one of the key recommendations of the Ferns report means that at this moment children are vulnerable and subject to predators in this regard.

Will the Taoiseach see to it that the child protection guidelines, Children First, will be put on a statutory footing? Will he see to it, as Taoiseach, that this legislative proposal gets absolute priority for implementation early in 2010? Will he give a commitment to hold a referendum on children's rights so that recognition of children can be expressed in the Constitution, as committed to on more than one occasion by this Government and its predecessor?

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