Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I thank all the contributors to the discussion which was very informative and showed speakers to be well-informed. This discussion underlines what the Oireachtas does best. Having a much calmer discussion about this, without the white heat from an unfolding drama, is a much more constructive approach.

The Government remains committed to a referendum which will give expression to children's rights in the Constitution. The Joint Committee on the Constitution was asked to put together a consensual and agreed wording which was published after two years of deliberations in February 2010. Each Department is now determining how the proposed wording will impact on policy. The Government will then consider their memorandums and make up its mind on the wording and the date for the referendum. I am aware of the dangers of unravelling the political consensus which was so carefully and creatively put together at the constitutional committee. I remain committed to this referendum and believe it is an important piece in the jigsaw of making Ireland a safer place for children and ensure their rights will weigh more heavily.

We must end putting parental considerations or institutional reputations before the rights of the child. That would be a lasting legacy after all these reports and it would mean we have a more mature society and can allow children to have rights in and of themselves.

I note Deputy Shatter's intention to publish the PA Consulting report today. I have no difficulty with this but I must point out it was never intended for publication. It is a management document to drive change in the delivery of child services, stopping, for example, the confusion between social worker and child manager to which Deputy Neville referred.

The report also recommended the establishment of a leadership position to deal with child protection. Phil Garland has been appointed HSE assistant national director for children and families. The report is beginning to bear fruit. We are, however, in an industrial relations situation which has made it somewhat difficult to drive change.

There has been a proliferation of reports, particularly about the implementation of Children First. Members quoted from the PA Consulting report when they could have easily quoted from the my office's report on the programme which had the same narrative and raised the same issues such as differential compliance. I am getting tired of having to defend the existing position on Children First. We need change and have the guidelines implemented uniformly across the country with no postcode lottery or excuses anymore.

While I am willing to accept political responsibility, I cannot do this job on my own. Neither can Phil Garland do his job on his own. He needs buy-in at the highest level of the HSE while I need buy-in at the highest political levels. When we were responding to the Ryan report-----

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