The Government was accused of a lack of leadership in dealing with the rights of children by Ms Liz McManus (DL, Wicklow). She said a change in name - the Minister for Health was now known as the Minister for Health and Children - was not sufficient. "We do not have a minister for children whose focus and authority are sufficient to the task. All we have is a junior minister whose brief has been too narrow to make an impact," she added.

Ms McManus was speaking during the resumed debate on the Fine Gael Private Member's Bill facilitating the reporting of abuse by any person with reasonable grounds for believing that a child was at risk. The Government has accepted the Bill in principle.

She agreed, she said, with the Government's view that caution was warranted on the introduction of mandatory reporting. "What concerns me about the debate is not the issue of immunity from liability, or the issue of confidentiality, important and all as these are," Ms McManus added. "What concerns me most is is the lack of any clear, over-arching policy from this Government. The care of children is a much broader and wider issue than simply that of reporting abuse."

Ms Marian McGennis (FF, Dublin Central) said what she found striking in the Derry O'Rourke sex abuse case was the lack of remorse. While embracing religion, it appeared there was no remorse on the part of the guilty party. "It was a feature of the crime that was really sickening."

Praising the Bill, Mr Dan Neville (FG, Limerick West) said the McColgan and O'Rourke cases exposed a level of cruelty and abuse which had shocked society. Those cases, as well as the Brendan Smyth and other cases, had exposed to the public the level of abuse taking place and its consequences for the victims.