I, too, join in the expressions of sympathy on the death of Mr. John Carty. He was a good colleague and very warm friend. He had so many interests. We may be getting an opportunity on a future occasion to expand on these sentiments. I sympathise with John's family. His death came as a great shock to us all.

Ar ábhar eile, mar is eol don Teach, beidh an Coimisinéir Teanga, Seán Ó Cuirreáin, ag éirí as a phost go luath agus tá conspóid ag fás, diadh ar ndiaidh, maidir leis an Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge. Nuair a bhí an straitéis á phlé, glacadh leis d'aonghuth. Ach anois, tá daoine buartha nach mbeidh ar ár gcumas an straitéis sin a chur i bhfeidhm. Nuair a tháinig an Coimisinéir Teanga isteach go dtí comhchoiste an Oireachtais chun é sin a phlé, bhí sé soiléir go raibh sé féin buartha faoi sin chomh maith. Tá an-chuid rudaí nach bhfuil ag tarlú. Níl go leor daoine, mar shampla sa státchóras chun seirbhísí a chur ar fáil. Níl aon earcaíocht ar siúl chun daoine breise a fháil, cé go bhfuil sin geallta ag an Aire Stáit anois. Perhaps for the first time in the history of the State, there was unanimous support for a strategy. The 20 year strategy enjoyed considerable cross-party support and goodwill, not only during debates in the Oireachtas but also during consultation with all the various players. I am a little concerned and worried, however, about the controversy that is now developing. I hope all of us, in all parties, will make a special effort to regain the energy and commitment put into the strategy. There is not a Member of the Oireachtas who is not committed to the Irish language. I was absolutely thrilled that we got away from the political football attitude to the language. The debates here were absolutely wonderful. I am a little concerned at present. The Minister of State, Deputy Dinny McGinley, will appear before the joint committee in the near future to debate the issues that were raised by the commissioner. Mr. Seán Ó Cuirreáin is a very honest person and a man of integrity. He was very open and committed, and he is a very decent man. When someone like him expresses such concerns, we need to listen very closely.

I ask the Leader to consider a further opportunity to debate Seanad reform. We all received a few minutes to do so yesterday but it is not a good idea just to have a debate and then forget about it. Senator Sean D. Barrett is correct that we need to take this issue seriously. There are great people in this Chamber on all sides. We can make good contributions towards reform. I genuinely do not believe reform will come from the Dáil; it must start within the Seanad.

It was wrong of Senator Sean D. Barrett to say what he said about Members on this side of the House. The fact of the matter is that we did not vote to abolish the Seanad but to put the matter to the people. The record of contributions made by Members on this side of the House will show that they not only supported the reform agenda but also supported the reform Bills put forward by Members on the other side of the House. The matter was put to the people and they spoke. We need to move on from there.

I welcome the launch today of the Child and Family Agency. It will go a long way towards the protection of children. We must remember that, since 1980, we have had 29 major inquiries and reviews concerning child protection failings. We have a shameful legacy of child abuse and neglect. The agency, which will bring together in an integrated fashion a number of the services relating to child protection, is to be welcomed. I also welcome the Minister's statement that she will keep the matter under review in terms of some of the services that remain outside the agency. We all take her at her word on this.

I ask the Leader for a debate on child welfare and children's rights. This issue continues to feature and it will not be entirely answered by the setting up of the Child and Family Agency. I would like the right of a child to be parented and the right of a parent to parent to be raised with the Minister for Social Protection in respect of the payment of rent supplement. A parent without sole custody cannot obtain rent supplement in order to have housing adequate to enable an overnight visit by his or her child. Children are entitled to be parented by both parents and that means they have the right to an overnight visit and spend time properly with both parents. I wish to raise this and other matters related to rent supplement with the Minister for Social Protection.

Ach an oiread le mo chomhghleacaí, ba mhaith liom ár gcomhbhrón a chur in iúl do mhuintir John Carty, a bhí mar Bhall den Teach seo. Labhróidh muid faoi sin a thuilleadh amach anseo. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Ba mhaith liom tacú leis an méid a bhí le rá ag an Seanadóir Labhrás Ó Murchú maidir leis An gCoimisinéir Teanga, ach théinn i bhfad níos faide. Sílim go bhfuil faillí iomlán á dhéanamh ag an Rialtas. Tá sé ráite go mbeidh fiosrúchán maidir le cás an Choimisinéara Teanga agus an Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge.

The judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in favour of Ms Louise O'Keeffe has a significant implication for the State. The Government now needs to make a full apology for its failure and that of its predecessor to deal compassionately with Ms O'Keeffe and other victims and survivors. Having forced Ms O'Keeffe to go through a long and difficult judicial process for 15 years, the Government should not add to her ordeal by delaying in making an apology. Given the importance of the court's decision for the State, the Minister for Education and Skills should make an early statement in the Dáil and the Seanad setting out the Government's response to the decision and indicating the steps it intends to take to ensure full compliance with the judgment and protect children.

In response to a question from my party leader, Deputy Gerry Adams, last Tuesday, the Taoiseach acknowledged that the O'Keeffe case indicated clearly the State's failure to protect children. He went on to state protection of children was absolutely a priority for the Government. As has been mentioned, today he will launch the Child and Family Agency, on which the jury will be out until Members ascertain how it will function. However, Members have learned today that at least 200 social work posts are vacant, despite significant increases in the numbers of reports of children at risk of abuse or neglect. This is despite the fact that approximately 40,000 referrals were made to child protection teams in each of the past two years, which constitutes an increase of almost one quarter on the 2011 figures, thereby placing strain on services already under pressure. The Ryan report, published five years ago, recommended the recruitment of an additional 270 social workers. However, there now are fewer social workers employed than when the report was issued. I have raised many times in this House my concerns about children in direct provision accommodation. In addition, there have been recent reports on the welfare of Traveller children. While Sinn Féin welcomes the launch of the Child and Family Agency, the Government's record on these issues is to be questioned. I seek a debate on the provision of social worker posts and what the Government intends to do about the issue, rather than engaging in these big public relations stunts involving great press conferences to launch new initiatives without putting in place the resources required to facilitate work on the ground and ensure all children in the State are supported equally.