Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I join with my colleagues who have already spoken on this matter to commend the wording offered by Deputies Jan O'Sullivan and Kathleen Lynch. We must remind ourselves the Bill is entitled the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009. As has already been well put, language of the type used in this legislation, that is, detention, suggests punishment and a punitive situation and it should not be within the construction of legislation geared towards child care. This is something we must take on board. Without labouring the point, it is within the gift of the Minister of State and his section in the Department to accede to the collective and unanimous appeal of Opposition voices, to accept the alternative wording offered and to examine the legislation with regard to any other presenting objectionable terminology which does not reflect today's more advanced and, therefore, more correct, thinking in respect of how we and the State relate to children in all situations that present. I commend amendment No. 3 and indicate my strong support for the proposal.

See this speech in context