Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to refer to the matter now. The amendment I have proposed seeks to replace the reference to "five years" with a reference to "3 years". While five years is a short time, it is also a long time if one thinks about it as the full length of one's secondary school education. Senator Henry's amendment proposes that the relevant amount of time be reduced to "four years". I suggest that if foster parents have been taking care of a child for three years, they should be entitled to benefit from increased freedom and autonomy, separate to the Health Service Executive, in that regard. The Bill currently refers to five years out of the 18 years of a child's life, which is a huge percentage of that life. Three years would be a more suitable timeframe. If someone fosters a child who is aged 14, five full years would have to pass — the child would be 19 by that time — before the foster parent would have a full say in decisions about medical and other matters relating to the foster child. The foster child would be an adult by that stage, of course, having passed the age of 18. I am trying to be helpful by suggesting that we provide for a period of three, rather than five, years.