Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

I did not interrupt anybody. Fine Gael and Labour Party Members said this issue was not political, but when there is a tragedy, every issue is political. Senator Cannon's speech was good and worthwhile, but I smiled when I heard it because a few short months ago he was on this side of the House and agreed with everything that was being implemented by the Government. Now, all of a sudden, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, and the Minister of State, Deputy Andrews, can do nothing right. This summed up for me the fact that everything is political, although I wish it were not, especially when it comes to dealing with innocent children.

The Minister of State is no stranger to my words. I was critical of the State and the church when the Murphy report was published, using the phrase, "Ireland's gulag", and I still feel that way about it. I am astonished to see that no audits have taken place. Cork and Kerry are the only areas in which there is an audit process. I do not see why we can carry out audits in Cork and Kerry but not in the rest of the country.

The Ombudsman for Children stated in her report that all is not wrong. There have been major improvements since 1999. I thank the Minister of State for his dedication since he entered the office. I do not think anybody works as hard as he does nor is anyone so dedicated. Whenever I have gone to the Minister of State with cases, I have received nothing but co-operation and interest from him and his staff.

The welfare of children is paramount and this and previous Governments have treated it as such. The setting up of the groups that produced the Ryan and Murphy reports, although they were the most unsavoury and heart-rending of reports, shows the commitment of the Government in this regard. The all-party Oireachtas committee of which Senator White and I were members did much good work, with many contributions from the Minister of State. I would like to think that the result of two years of excellent work, cross-party communication and, most important, cross-party consensus, which is most rare in these Houses, will be a referendum on children's rights. I hope the Minister of State will make progress in this regard. Senator Butler went into detail on preschool education and the number of places that are set aside, which demonstrates the Minister of State's commitment to children.

Senator Healy Eames was a little upset to see me having a word in the Minister of State's ear because she wanted his full attention, and I would not deprive her of that. I was just asking when the Office of the Minister for Children had first been introduced. I think it was around 2000. What struck me was that from 1994 to 1997, during the term of the rainbow coalition, we heard nothing at all about a Minister for children. I am glad it was a Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Government - the latter being Senator Cannon's former party - that established the office.