Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister, Deputy Burton, will be in the House next Tuesday to debate issues arising from the Mangan report. She has put on record several times her concern and anxiety to ensure reform of social protection payments in general and payments directed at alleviating child poverty in particular. We have seen rates rise but outcomes have not improved. As I said yesterday, it is worrying to see how outcomes of child poverty do not appear to have improved despite the money that has been spent. We need to consider how best to spend the money we have and ensure outcomes can be improved.

Senator Mooney has mentioned putting money directly into the provision of services. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Fitzgerald, will come to the House in two weeks; she was scheduled to come here some weeks ago but we had to postpone the debate because of the funeral of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. She will come to the House in two weeks to debate issues surrounding children's rights and child care, so we can have the debate on both of those days.

I welcome the fact that today we will have another session of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee from midday on the subject of making change through social entrepreneurship. As the Leader noted, all Senators are welcome and encouraged to attend the hearings in this Chamber when there is public consultation. Anybody who attended the last consultation on lifestyle changes and prevention of cancer or the previous consultation on the rights of older people would have found it a valuable experience. There are some really impressive speakers coming today, as we have had previously. I urge colleagues to sit in for at least some of the hearings today, when we will hear from Ms Deirdre Mortell of One Foundation, Mr. Paul O?Hara of Ashoka Ireland, Ms Caroline Casey of Kanchi, Mr. James Whelton of CoderDojo, Mr. Seán Coughlan of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland and Ms Niamh Gallagher of Women for Election. It is a good range of speakers.

I very much welcome the launch of the St. Patrick's day parade, and it is pleasant to see that there will be innovations in the parade and festival, which will be held between 14 March and 18 March. It is being launched in the context of The Gathering, and there is a real hope that we will see thousands of visitors coming to Ireland to experience the celebrations. There will be a people's parade, a new part of the Dublin festival, and those of us privileged to live in Dublin or near the parade will be encouraging friends and relatives to join us, visit the parade and celebrate the day.

I know we will debate the Magdalen report next week and there are some reports today about possible preclusions or restrictions on applications from survivors who went through the redress board. I have every confidence that Judge Quirke will ensure fairness in application of the redress scheme.