Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to speak strongly in favour of the inclusion of this very important section. I am glad we had the opportunity to speak on it on Committee Stage. I know many of us addressed it on Second Stage as well. It is very significant that we are making this provision for the insertion of a new Part in the 1964 Act dealing so specifically with the best interests of the child and setting out the detailed criteria, including issues around household violence and the need to facilitate the free expression by the child of views. I do not know if anyone else in this House has seen the workings of the courts in this area, but as a practitioner, I have represented guardians ad litembefore the courts and dealt with quite a number of child care cases where the issue of what constitutes the best interests of the child was grappled with by the court. Courts have had difficulty dealing with it in the absence of the clear criteria that are set out now, so this marks real progress in the conduct of proceedings around child care and issues relating to children and the care and welfare of children in our courts.