Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is most unfortunate that on a very serious issue relating to child protection we are subjected to Deputies Clare Daly and Wallace engaging in their usual obsessive attacks to entirely undermine public confidence in An Garda Síochána. The Deputies cannot make up their minds if they want to protect children or just attack An Garda Síochána. This is a serious area of children protection. Section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991 provides an important instrument to ensure that where children are at immediate risk, the Garda can intervene. On occasions when intervention takes place, not all the information is known. The reason we have a courts system is so that once there has been an intervention, matters can be addressed in the Children's Court and issues can be properly clarified.

In the context of these two cases, I am making no prejudgments, as the Deputies are.

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