Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

Senator Alex White made a really good point that we have the opportunity to change the language used. I urge the Minister of State to consider this. We all know how much courts have to learn about how they treat different groups of people, whether children, women, sexual assault victims or otherwise. The courts must learn and change. This is an opportunity to change the language we use when speaking about these children who are in need of care. We suggest the words "secure housing" but "secure placement" is another suggestion. If we can get away from the word "detention" and create a new description, it will have meaning. It is an opportunity for the Minister of State and I am glad he has said he will consider it on Report as it will be really important. Those other words build up a different image from the word "detention". For those children looking back, the Minister of State would be doing them a great favour. Even though it involves a court procedure, a secure placement and is serious, this suggestion is worth looking at. I hope that by the time the Bill is finalised, the Minister of State will have changed the language in it. I know he is going up against precedent in courts and tradition, but the courts have much to learn in terms of being more child sensitive and more sensitive to different categories of people who appear before them, although they have learned much. This is an opportunity to refine the language and it should be taken.