James Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I commend Senator Lawless on his maiden speech. I will defend the right of every person in the Chamber to speak, be it scripted or unscripted. Most right-minded Senators would agree with that.

I understand Senator Ó Ríordáin's concerns for the longer term and agree with him on the area-based childhood, ABC, school programmes. Early intervention is important. The early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme, the second free preschool year and the special needs package that were put in place will help in that regard, but other initiatives are required. We all acknowledge that an immediate law enforcement response is necessary. It is not an either/or situation.

Senator Feighan mentioned Brexit, which I have touched on previously. I agree that there will be opportunities, but I will remind him that there is plenty of capacity in Fingal.

I wish to raise a serious issue that has exercised many of my constituents and many others around the country, namely, the fact that Tusla has a guideline to the effect that there should not be 40 years or more between a prospective adoptive parent and the child he or she is adopting. This is out of date and comes from a different era. It is incensing, insulting and offensive to many people. I am sure there are people of my vintage in this room who have siblings whose mother was over 40 years, certainly I have, when they were born. I know that many women are leaving childbirth to later for one reason or another. This morning, I spoke to the Master of the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street and was informed that there has been an increase from 3% to 7% of births in the hospital to women over 40 years of age. What are we saying? As Senator Swanick will know, GPs can now work until they are 72 years of age in General Medical Services, GMS. Why have this guideline in place? It is antiquated and out of date. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to discuss this matter. I am sure she will have heard about it this morning and will take the opportunity to get Tusla to review the guideline. Perhaps we will have a more satisfactory situation than we currently have at the moment. Most people now live a different life and have much better longevity that is associated with living in this country. Therefore, it seems utterly unreasonable to have such a guideline in place. Many people who are parents of children who are more than 40 years younger than them find the guideline offensive.