Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

As Senator van Turnhout says, we all agree in principle with the need to ensure registration of statutory declarations but I want to commend the Minister on her very clearly stated intention on Second and Committee Stages to seek to develop the pilot project to establish the voluntary repository and then decide whether to proceed to establish a national repository. This is a big undertaking. While we all agree on it in principle, the question is how to proceed with it. The Minister is right in saying there is an appropriate way to do this. Before we bring in legislation, we should consider how best to do this to ensure it is not unduly onerous, and raise awareness. This debate is important because it has raised awareness among many people of the statutory declaration and the need to sign one in order for a father to have guardianship in a situation where the couple is not married. I am glad we have the opportunity to debate this and I commend the Minister on proceeding with it in the way she has outlined.