Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 5 is a technical amendment which refers to and cites new substantive provisions in respect of amending the Children Act 2001.

Amendment No. 26 provides for a substantive change to the Children Act 2001 by reducing the rehabilitative period for those under 18 from three years to one year. I am sure Senators would agree that this would need to be harmonised with potential amendments to the Children Act, first, in respect of expungement of offences under the Children Act but also with regard to possible amendments to the regime governing records of admission to the Garda diversion programme in Part 4 of that Act. I, therefore, wish to flag to the committee that I may need to move my own amendments to this part of the Bill in due course but I say so in the context of my earlier comments of constructive dialogue with Senator Ruane.