Jillian van Turnhout (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleagues Senators Fiach MacConghail, Mary Ann O'Brien and Katherine Zappone for their support on these amendments. I have a concern in regard to section 92 because those exemptions are articulated in the Child Care Act 1991. I believe the belt and braces are in place. By reiterating the exemptions, we are putting on a straitjacket. I raised my concern in regard to vetting when the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill came before the House. We know that there are about 19,000 settings where 50,000 children are regularly minded on a paid basis by childminders who are not relatives. We are specifically exempting 50,000 children. They were exempted in the Child Care Act. I do not understand the reason we have to articulate the exemptions again in this legislation. I do not understand the ruling but I take it, because they are already exempted. The belt and braces were put on in the Child Care (Amendment) Act and we are putting them on again in this Bill. We are saying it again, just to be sure that everybody knows it is hands off in the case of any child who is being minded by somebody. For example, Childminding Ireland has said it would like to see regulations and supports similar to what is in place in Scotland, although they are slightly lesser regulations. These children are being minded on a contractual basis. The childminders are being paid and are not relatives. We are talking about 50,000 children and I have a huge concern that we are physically exempting them again. That is the reason I tabled the amendment and the reason I imagine Senator Terry Leyden tabled a similar amendment.