Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Section 9 provides that the Minister may make regulations to make provision for the procedures that are to apply to enable a child to present her or his views in person or in writing to the authority or the court, as the case may be. It also provides that the Minister may make regulations to make provision for the procedures that are to apply to enable a child to nominate an appropriate person to present the child's views orally or in writing to the authority or the court. As currently drafted, the child is restricted to expressing her or his views in person or in writing. I am proposing to amend this section in order to future proof the legislation to ensure that a child who may wish to use other means, including electronic means, to give her or his views to the courts or the authority may do so.This provision will also apply in cases where the child nominates an appropriate person to present his or her views to the authority or the court. I recommend that the amendments be accepted.