asked the Minister for Justice if he will consider raising the age of criminal responsibility to a level comparable to that prevailing in most civilised countries.

The age of criminal responsibility falls within the terms of reference of the Task Force on Child Care established by the then Minister for Health in October, 1974, and recommendations from them are awaited. In regard to the progress of the task force's work I would refer the Deputy to the reply to a Parliamentary Question given by the Minister for Health on 5 April 1978 (Volume 305, No. 1, columns 39 and 40).

Is the Minister not aware that the Kennedy Report published in 1970 recommended that the age of criminality should be increased to 12 years of age? In the light of that the then Government took no action. How long are we to wait for action on this very important issue?

The Deputy will note that it was the Tánaiste in the former Government who set up the task force and gave them their terms of reference in this regard. My colleagues and I are waiting to hear from them and as soon as we do so we will be in a position to do something.

The report to which I refer is the Kennedy Report from the body set up by the Minister's own Government in the late sixties and that report recommended the raising of the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years.

The Deputy is giving information instead of seeking it.

It was the Government of which the Deputy was a supporter who decided to set up the task force and to push aside recommendations of other reports available at that time.

The Minister certainly pushed aside the recommendations of that report.

The former Government did so, not I.

The age of criminal responsibility is particularly outrageous. How long is it likely to be before the Minister receives a recommendation?

The information given on 5 April in reply to a similar question to the Minister for Health was that it was expected within 12 months. This is the indication from the task Force regarding the time which they need to compile a full report.

The Minister does not need that recommendation. He already has recommendations on record.

Order.

When are the Government going to govern?

I am calling Question No. 8.