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

I do not have an agenda which is to denigrate the Garda, nor do I have an agenda to defend something that is indefensible. I am not going to ask the children's Ombudsman to exercise independent oversight, look into this matter independently, and jump to conclusions before she does so. It is a gross misrepresentation, but it suits the Deputy's narrative, to suggest that gardaí are being asked to investigate themselves and that, as Deputy Wallace put it, the children's Ombudsman is being asked to rubber-stamp that investigation.

The Garda is being asked, as the HSE is being asked by my colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Fitzgerald, to provide a full and detailed report on the background of what occurred. These reports will be given to the Ombudsman for Children who will be free to ask any questions of any nature that are relevant to what has occurred and to report and make recommendations. That is the correct and appropriate way to go. Is anyone in this House suggesting the Ombudsman for Children will do anything other than act independently, appropriately and in a manner on which we can rely?

I will deal with other issues quickly. I am conscious of Deputy Naughten's interest in these areas, but he has said twice in this House that the background to these matters is the trafficking of children. The trafficking of children is an issue about which I have had a great concern for a long time. As Minister I have been doing whatever I can to address that area. We cannot assume, however, that the background to these cases had anything to do with the trafficking of children. In fairness to the two families, no one has suggested that they are in any way trafficking children. I ask people to be careful of the language they are using. I presume that was not the Deputy's intent.

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