Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

It is extraordinary that, given the revelations about child sexual abuse, institutional abuse, abuse within the church and the number of alleged rapes that do not produce prosecutions, the difficulties that have arisen with regard to children, particularly young teenagers, who are preyed upon by older people - usually men - and the publication of a report by an all-party committee ably chaired by the now Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power, that produced a plethora of detailed recommendations, there is still no chance of legislation four years later. At best, we are being promised a scheme and the Minister, who represents the Government, is unable to tell the House the date on which a Bill will be published. This is unsatisfactory. Despite the verbal sympathy expressed for the victims of sexual abuse, the truth is that the Government has failed to provide the new modern scheme of legislation that is required. It will fail to do so all the way up to the next general election.

See this speech in context