Guardianship of Infants and Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2026: Committee and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-30
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Patricia Stephenson (SD), Labour Panel

I thank the Minister. I, too, acknowledge David French and his family, who have fought so hard in tragic circumstances for his sister, Valerie. No family should have to suffer like that and certainly no children should ever have to suffer like that.
I will speak specifically to amendment No. 19. It is designed to make sure that no child falls through the cracks and to provide a pathway for those closest to the child, their guardian ad litem or relative, to ask Tusla to look at the case because they believe action is needed. It does not force Tusla to make an application but it ensures that concerns can be raised and do not just disappear into the ether. It is asking that if Tusla decides not to proceed, it should be required to explain why. It is about transparency and providing a platform for openness. Everyone in this space wants children's safeguarding to be transparent and open. We are all here to put the child's best interests at the centre of all decisions. Several of the amendments laid out in this grouping give a voice to those closest to the child without taking away the professional judgment of staff at Tusla. If Valerie's law is about putting children first, we should make sure that there is a clear way for those acting in the best interests of the child to be able to just knock on the door and ask the State to act and to have a clear pathway by which to do that. It might be that all that is required is for someone to be asking that question. This amendment makes sure that the question can be asked and the pathway is there. It is about strengthening the practical operation of the Bill by introducing an important safeguard to ensure no applications are missed in cases where a child's best interest may require court intervention.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-30/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:07+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-30