Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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I presume the Minister of State is not in a position to respond to any of the other matters Senators propose to raise on the Adjournment.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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No, I do not have notes on the other matters.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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I understand every effort has been made by the offices of the Cathaoirleach and Leader to secure a Minister to respond to the other matters. In light of the inexplicable absence of a Minister, does Senator van Turnhout wish to proceed?

Jillian van Turnhout (Independent)
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I would like to make a short statement.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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I am prepared to allow the Senator make a short statement. She may also make a contribution on the matter she submitted to the Cathaoirleach and have it placed on record. If a Minister has not arrived at the conclusion of her contribution, we could deal with the issue at that point.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I do not have information on the matter the Senator proposes to raise. However, I promise to convey the Senator's comments or requests to the relevant Minister should she decide to proceed.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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Does Senator van Turnhout wish to proceed on the basis of the Minister of State's generous offer?

Jillian van Turnhout (Independent)
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No, I will not speak formally on the matter I submitted to the Cathaoirleach as I had proposed to ask a number of questions seeking specific information. I am disappointed a Minister is not available, although I am also cognisant that the matter I raised was addressed to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs who does not have a Minister of State in her Department. I understand contact was made today with all Ministers and Ministers of State and not one of them was available to come to the House.

The matter I proposed to discuss is an urgent child protection issue. It should be noted that I refrained from raising children's issues on the Adjournment during the referendum debate. I have asked the Leader repeatedly to invite the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to come before the House. Having availed of one of few options open to Senators for raising issues directly with Ministers, I am disappointed a Minister is not available to discuss an urgent and pressing child protection matter.

I was in the Chair recently when a Minister could not be found to respond to a matter raised by Senator Kathryn Reilly. While I could accept the absence of a Minister on a once-off basis, I am afraid this may be the start of a trend. I ask the Leader to raise this issue with the Government and seek immediate redress to ensure it does not happen again. Whether I will be able to raise this child protection issue next week is at the discretion of the Cathaoirleach.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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I understand three other Senators are in the same position as Senator van Turnhout. While I do not wish to put the Leader on the spot, perhaps he will outline the efforts that were made to secure a Minister.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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That is a matter for the Office of the Cathaoirleach. I will relay Senator van Turnhout's concerns to the Minister in question.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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I also ask that the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, convey the Senator's concerns to her ministerial colleagues. It is unacceptable that a Minister is not available, even if certain Ministers may not be available for good reason, for example, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, as Senator van Turnhout noted, does not have a Minister of State. Responses to matters raised on the Adjournment always come in the form of prepared texts, many of which are read out in the House by a Minister from another Department. I have queried this imperfect approach on a number of occasions.

This is a serious issue which should be taken up by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. In effect, 29 Ministers have chosen to ignore an important institution of State. This raises serious questions to which satisfactory answers should be obtained from the Government. I speak on behalf of colleagues who have probably carried out background research and drafted notes in advance of making a contribution on the important topics they had proposed to raise. I hope the Cathaoirleach, the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and the Leader will do everything in their power to have this most unsatisfactory problem addressed. I ask the Clerk to convey my comments to the Cathaoirleach and the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I thank the Minister of State for coming before the House. She is the exception to the rule.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I always try to come to the Seanad and I am probably here more often than any other Minister. Having responded to the two matters I was asked to take, I must attend to another engagement. I apologise for the absence of a Minister and I will convey the sentiments expressed by Senator van Turnhout and the Acting Chairman, Senator Jim Walsh, to my colleagues.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I have experienced the other side of the coin in my role as Leas-Chathaoirleach. I am aware of at least three occasions when Senators from different sides of the House, including from my party, failed to come to the Chamber to discuss the matters they had proposed to raise on the Adjournment, leaving Ministers in the House with prepared responses. This practice also needs to be addressed by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. It is most annoying for Senator van Turnhout that she was not informed earlier that a Minister would not be available and unfair that she discovered this at the last minute.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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While Senator O'Donovan has made an exceptionally good point, he will agree with me that two wrongs do not make a right. The Executive has a particular responsibility to both Houses, one which it has failed to meet this evening.