Maria Corrigan (Fianna Fail)

I rise to request the Leader to include provision for two debates when he is scheduling business for our return in the autumn. Both debates concern child protection. I do that for two reasons. First, Members have an invaluable contribution to make in this area and, second, as part of the Oireachtas, we have an important role to play in sending a strong message about child protection.

The first debate relates to the second interim report that has been received by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children. It specifically relates to the proposal for strengthened legislation on the issue of statutory, absolute and limited liability. I was struck by a recent case concerning a young girl from Sligo where a man was found guilty. I am concerned about the language we use. Journalists and commentators referred to the man being in a relationship with a 14 year old girl. That is not appropriate, there is no relationship there and it behoves us all to be conscious of the language we use in such situations.

The second debate I am calling for relates to the 397 children who remain missing from the care of the HSE. There is no indication as to their safety or whereabouts. I have raised this issue twice on the Adjournment in recent weeks and the replies I received gave no indication of any measures being taken to locate those children.

I am conscious that we have been distressed by the contents of the Ryan report and we must take action to address the needs of the victims of the report. However, there is also a responsibility on us to ensure the type of hurt visited on those children is not visited in the days that come on any other children. There are 397 children missing from the care of the State. We must be told what measures are being taken to find those children.