Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Senator's comments in support of efforts by the Garda Síochána to combat child trafficking.

Senator Jim D'Arcy called for a debate on the one-parent family credit changes and referred to a potential unintended consequence thereof in the form of discrimination against a particular group. I agree with the Senator's comments, particularly in the context of the recent debate at the Constitutional Convention on the need to re-calibrate the role of women to take account of the increasingly strong caring roles being taken by fathers. I absolutely agree that anything which impedes that progress would be troubling. A debate on these issues is timely in a context where couples, even after separation, are dividing up child care responsibility in a very different way from what was common in the past.

I have already responded to Senator MacSharry. Senator Noone referred to the childhood obesity initiative, which I covered.

Senator O'Donnell raised the sale of the national lottery licence. That sale, and the money it generated, has had a strong impact on the budget. The measures the Senator referred to, including progress on the development of the national children's hospital and initiatives such as the City of Culture, are job creation initiatives and it is very important that funding be provided for them. We have had several opportunities to debate the awarding of the national lottery licence with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, but we certainly can seek another debate.

Senator O'Donnell also spoke of the failure to bring to book anybody who played a part in bringing about the economic crisis. That is an ongoing issue which has been raised by many speakers in this House.