Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am also disappointed with the Minister. The argument has been made clear relative to his response. This is about persons who do this work for reward, specifically set up a child minding service and who may not even know the children. This is not about those engaged in personal intrafamily arrangements or neighbours. They may have a vague relationship with the families and be from the same neighbourhood but there would not be the intimacy the Minister's reply suggested.

My understanding, following discussions with his officials prior to Second Stage, is a self-employed person could be construed as a relevant organisation. In other words, he or she would be legally obliged to register under the legislation. Will the Minister clarify the position on this for Report Stage? Nothing in the section refers to the category of persons we are discussing, which is probably the Minister's difficulty. If clarify could be brought to that, the self-employed could be deemed to be legally obliged to register.

I have a particular interest in this as chairman of Leitrim county childcare committee, which is part of a quasi-national organisation. The vetting issue comes up on a regular basis not only in the context of our board meetings but in our interactions with other statutory committees throughout the State. Some of my colleagues have said that there should not only be a legal obligation on child minders to ensure they are vetted under the new legislation but there should be a designated person within the family who should also be required to vet whenever the primary child minder has to leave the house. The last time I heard reference to stranger danger was a massive hit by Stella Parton, a sister of Dolly Parton, with a song called "The Dangers of a Stranger". I am sure she was not necessarily singing about child abuse but it reminds people of the issue.

Perhaps an accommodation can be found within the section that might provide that a self-employed child minder would be legally obliged to be vetted, which might address the problem.