Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I thank the Minister for the reply but it is a great disappointment. It beggars belief that we cannot take the simple and reasonable steps to protect young children, a number of whom have lost their lives in this jurisdiction, particularly after the coroner made his informed recommendation on Friday. Must we wait for others across the European Union to recognise the real dangers involved? It is most regrettable we cannot take the required steps and be world leaders in child safety measures.

I ask the Minister to review the decision and to examine the information he gave us today to see if there is not a way to impose an alternative design on the manufacturers. It is not a case of putting them out of business; far from it. Undoubtedly, however, easy adjustments can be made to remove the loop from the blind chord. That is the key danger.

If we were talking about a defective car, would we for a moment say that we would not arrange for the recall of defective cars because we had to wait for some other jurisdictional call for said to happen? If defects were found in a range of vehicles provided in this country, we would take the required step to ensure they were recalled to enhance road safety, not only of the owner and user but of all road users. Why would we not apply the same thinking for this particular danger that exists in the homes of countless numbers of our citizens, if not in all our homes? The alternative is readily available. Manufacturers will not be at any greater expense and we will have removed a real threat to infant children and would be applauded internationally for it. I recommend the proposition for that reason.

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