Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Bill. I thank Senators McDowell, Boyhan and Craughwell, as well as Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, for the amendments they have proposed and their work on the Bill. It will receive wide support from the House.

This legislation will be very much welcomed, particularly by lobby groups, parents and survivors' groups. I commend the policy it seeks to implement. Many of us have heard news headlines about offences against or involving children where reporting restrictions were put in place. That was based on good intent but, in essence, it actually delivered bad law. Protecting the rights of children is important but the law should not protect the identity of those perpetrators of wrongdoings who certainly need to see justice. Justice does call for clarity and transparency. Obviously, the law must protect children, particularly child witnesses who have given evidence. An amendment in this Bill will ensure that those who have given evidence, if they wish, may waive their rights later on.

The Bill's focus is to permit the identification of persons accused or convicted of homicide offences against a child rather than the identification of the child victim. We can all absolutely support that. The amended section will continue to protect the identity of living child witnesses and victims involved in proceedings. It will permit adults who are victims of an offence committed against them when they were a child to waive the anonymity provided for under the Children Act 2001.

The Regional Group certainly supports and endorses this proposed legislation. We look forward to it going through the House and being passed into law. As Deputy Berry and many others have highlighted, it will give parents the chance to mark the passing of their children publicly where that has not been the case. It will give them a chance to celebrate those lives but also to seek justice for those children who have passed away through violence or abuse. That is to be commended. I commend the Bill to the House.

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