Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the question. It is on our agenda. We intend to ratify the second protocol as quickly as we can and move to the third one. I would think we will be in a position to do this in the coming months. On the second protocol, I am waiting for some legislation on which the Department of Justice and Equality is working. I will bring a memorandum to the Government on it with the Minister for Justice and Equality. Further legislation is being prepared by the Department of Justice and Equality to strengthen the protection of children from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse and facilitate full compliance with the relevant international legal instruments. Once that is done, it should clear the way for ratification of the second protocol. As regards the third one, I will be working on the report on the rights of the child shortly. An amount of work is being done on it in my Department and I am aware it requires that we liaise with other Departments to get their responses to what is included in the protocol.

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