Katherine Zappone (Independent)

I have just come from a meeting of the group of Independent Senators who are Taoiseach's nominee during which we discussed how we could publicly thank the Leader for his responses when we ask for debates. I would particularly like to thank him for his response to the domestic violence issue I raised this week.

I have a question on the motion on prostitution and trafficking that took place 12 October. Today is 1 December. For that debate, the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, came into the Chamber and said she had spoken to the Minister for Justice and Equality about the issue, that he wanted to begin a public consultation process and that all public submissions would be considered by the Government having been presented to the Attorney General. The Minister wanted to do that within six months and we would then move the issue on. He also promised at that stage to publish a report on a visit to Sweden by the Government along with members of the Dignity project. He has since done that, reviewed the report and the Attorney General's report on it and I express our appreciation of that.

The Minister did say, however, that he was concerned to ensure a public debate on the issue was open to the widest possible audience and that it would happen within a six month period. He said that in mid-October, and that he would put out a paper shortly on the public consultation process. I checked with his office yesterday and the document outlining the public consultation process is still not complete. Will the Leader ask the Minister if he will be able to publish that document for public consultation prior to Christmas so we can get on with consultation and have it complete within six months?