Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

In the exercise, the Attorney General is to try to get simple case files handed over to the independent review group. The section on which the Deputy is focusing states: "The Minister may, where he or she considers it necessary in the public interest to do so for the performance of his or her functions (whether under this Act or otherwise)." This section ensures that whatever the HSE is required to furnish to the Minister is in the public interest and not for a purpose that is not significant for the performance of the functions of the Minister. It is a safeguard to the protect the HSE as well as to ensure that the information can be transferred.

The Deputy is correct, as there will in practice be references to children who have been the subjects of detention or orders under the Children Act. However, this would not prevent the information being transferred to the independent review group. If this is the Deputy's concern, I assure her the transfer will not be hindered by the text.

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