Mary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Acting Chairman. I am very happy to speak on this motion. I praise and thank the Labour Party and Sinn Féin for tabling it. In so doing, I pay tribute to Deputy Brendan Howlin, Senator Alex White, Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin and the Fine Gael members. However, I particularly wish to mention those I named because they laboured long and hard on the committee. I want to give full expression of my confidence in their work and thank them for the dedication and time they spent on the matter. This motion was very well chosen by both parties. None of the Labour Party or Sinn Féin Members I mentioned ever missed a meeting. In the entire two years and three months I missed half a meeting but I believe they did not miss any in all that time while the whole debate was taking place.

I am disappointed that no date has been set for the holding of a referendum. I take hope from many of the points the Minister of State, Deputy Andrews, made last night. He stated that a group of senior officials was working to the Cabinet sub-committee on social inclusion. They were reconvened to guide the interaction and co-ordinate the responses of all Departments. As I understand it, the wording and conclusion we reached went through the Minister of State to each Minister and Department. The senior officials group has met once and will meet again at the end of this month. It is important that they do that. We were very well and professionally legally advised on all the works we did in the committee. At the same time, it is the Government of the day that will bring the wording to the people and therefore it is important that such wording be proper and right in every aspect.

I regard the holding of this debate over the past two nights as very much part of the process leading towards the holding of the referendum. There have been money issues. I do not know how far €3.5 million goes in the holding of referenda but I guess it is a statement to have it there, included in a sub-heading.

Rather than dissipate the cordiality that existed among the leading people representing their parties on the constitutional amendment group, among whom I include Deputy Shatter, the Government would be well served to move swiftly to deal with the wording as proposed. We were very intent on what we did. We tried to avoid a conflict with any aspect of the Constitution which would give rise to conflict with the tenet of the family, which, as we know, is regarded very strongly in Ireland. We did not want such to emerge at any time amid the debate we hope will occur when the referendum goes to the people. Prior to that there must be legislation on adoption, either accompanying the referendum wording or brought in beforehand. I hope that also will find favour with the electorate and we can move on.

When I spoke I wanted to offer sympathy to the family of Daniel McAnaspie and state clearly that the holding of a referendum, if successful, does not mean there will not be sad events surrounding children in the future. This referendum will not be a panacea to end all ills. How could it be? It was never meant to be that. What it was meant to be is expressed by the wording at which we finally arrived, namely, that children, as individuals, have rights just as adults have. It is, in the first place, the exposition of their rights followed by the affirmation of those rights. That is hugely important and very much in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. At the last convention meeting, Ireland was castigated for not having something of this nature in place. I hope the outcome of this will be fruitful but I also hope we at least have a referendum, with the people having the right according to our Constitution, to vote "Yes" or "No" to such a wording. There is all-party support for this wording, which is very rare within these Houses. That consensus, which was carefully built by all participants, will dissipate if action is not taken. I know quite well the way senior civil servants work and I suppose many people here also know it.

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