Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----and the sergeant showed me where a disturbance was taking place in a particular estate that was one of a continuous series of rows between a husband and a wife and where a family was involved. The end result was going to be the same as all the others, in that it would be patched up for a while before more or less erupting again.

When one talks to people, who is to say what happens in family circumstances? What happened in this case? When one sees the barring orders, the Rape Crisis Centre and the women's refuge, it is not all about money because there is fear in houses and complete domination in others. There are clearly women in Irish homes who suffer the ignominy and terror of being beaten up. To a much lesser extent, there are a number of males on the other hand who get subjected to particular pressures.

This is an issue we need to debate. That is why, from the point of view of children, the protection of children, the reporting about children and the vetting of adults dealing with children and who have access to children, the Government has a very clear position, one that is being worked on on a continuous basis and in respect of which the people have voted in regard to the rights, opportunities and responsibilities in regard to children. There is nothing more fundamental to Ireland and Irish society than this and I would be happy to arrange for an appropriate debate here where Members could give their views.

Clearly, the experience of individual Members of the Oireachtas ranges across a very broad spectrum but I think that, in the interests of assisting the Minister for Justice and Equality, who has particular proposals in respect of the courts, and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, who has an ongoing programme in regard to children, these are issues we need to examine.

I have seen people in the teaching profession who failed to see where clearly there were issues arising in families. There are others who, when they did identify, were not able to have it pursued because what happens behind closed doors oftentimes can be quite horrific and traumatic. That goes to the heart of everybody.

I do not have any objection, arising both from Deputy Adam's question and from Deputy Kelleher's, to having an appropriate debate both about the proposals of the Minister for Justice and Equality in respect of reform of the courts system and about his and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs's proposals as to where we go in regard to the future.

As I said, it is not all about the amount of money made available to the Rape Crisis Centre or the women's refuge centre, the issues arising from barring orders or all of these things. They are all part of society. Too much of it was locked away, and frustration, anger and all of the other consequences followed. I admire Fiona Doyle's courage. As I said, I hope the Court of Criminal Appeal will deal with what has been referred to it now as a matter of urgency.

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