Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I ask the Leader to ask the Minister for Finance and the Taoiseach to outline a roadmap on where we are going and to outline the multi-annual plan to which Senator Donohoe referred and to include the worst case scenarios. We need to know what the back-up plan is if things go wrong. The Irish people have a right to know the real story. We cannot fool the people any longer.

I call again for a debate on the mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse, as did my colleague on the Government side of the House. Yesterday, I did not hear the Leader say "Yes" to it but I did see the pain on his face when I spoke about the child abuse case I encountered as a teacher. I accept sensitivities arise with this issue but the child's welfare must be kept central at all times. Otherwise, the effects are grave. Recently the Mayo Rape Crisis Centre informed me that it had 18 cases of rape in the 15 to 18 years age group with 17 of those victims dropping out of school owing to trauma. Can one imagine the trauma and other effects? No longer can we pretend this is not happening or be afraid of the complexities of mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse. We must take it on and ask whether it will be good ultimately for the child. I look forward to hearing the Leader's response on this today.