Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I think the Senator understands the situation. I had taken a number of initiatives to make it easier for non-marital fathers to become guardians and the changes and the information campaign to which we are committed in regard to the statutory declaration will make quite a difference. The Senator has just heard my reply to Senator Power and I thank her for the approach she has taken in regard to this issue because we can do the kind of work that is necessary to establish the views of the various groups and how we can best draft this. When Deputies spoke about this in the Dáil – I think the point was made in the Seanad also - the majority said we should go for automatic guardianship but equally most said that there are exceptions and it is in the drafting of those exceptions and in trying to figure out the detail that a job of work remains to be done, which I will do.