Alex White (Labour)

What Senator Ormonde says is very fair. There are complex issues associated with the question of guardianship. When I finish here I shall be attending the Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children, and we are wrestling with these issues, which are very complex and sensitive. These are issues which have come up in the course of public debate not just in this context of passports, but in the wider consideration of fathers' rights and the whole question of having births registered in circumstances where they are not births the within traditional family situation. I have some sympathy for what the Minister of State says, as regards whether provisions should be inserted into a passports Bill in circumstances where we are wrestling with wider issues. At the same time there is a provision here in respect of the issuing of passports to children, so we cannot just simply say it is a matter for another Department, another day or other legislation.

With the permission of the House, I shall not pursue either of the amendments but consider the question in more detail between now and Report Stage, when I shall, perhaps, revisit one or both matters.