Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response.

It is good to hear the Government is working to implement measures in response to these alarming findings from the SERP study. That is very welcome. Clearly the focus of this report is a child's right to be safe and a child's right to have a safe home. A government that was serious about guaranteeing that right for every child should be prioritising moving children out of homelessness and should be prioritising not only addressing these very stark findings on children in residential care but also addressing the real crisis facing the thousands of children who are currently in homelessness. That should be the key priority above and beyond tax cuts.

Issues relating to discrimination against children go more broadly than this. Back in December the Joint Committee on Gender Equality recommended a constitutional referendum to provide for a more inclusive definition of family to cover families that are not just based on marriage - for example, families with same-sex parents who are not married and families headed by single parents. What is the Government doing on that referendum on the inclusive definition of family with a focus on ensuring that children in non-constitutionally protected families are receiving appropriate protections and rights? It is again about that focus on a child's right and a child's right to safety. My questions are on a constitutional referendum and Labour's homeless families Bill.

See this speech in context