The creation of a register of people unsafe to work with children has been delayed because of the suspension of the North's institutions, the Tánaiste told the Dáil.
Ms Harney said the register would be implemented on an all-island basis through the North-South Ministerial Council, but because the Executive and Northern Ireland Assembly had been suspended, the council was not in operation and the issue could not be dealt with.
Labour's education spokeswoman, Ms Jan O'Sullivan, had voiced her concern about the delay in setting up a register, and said it "appears to have been put on the long finger".
Appealing for the Government to show "some urgency in addressing this issue", she said the Taoiseach had told her in a letter in May that legislation would be prepared in time for the current Dáil session.
However, the Government's most recent response had been that it could not indicate when the legislation would be presented.
Ms O'Sullivan TD (Limerick East) said the Dáil had spent considerable time discussing abuse of children in the past.
"If there is one lesson we need to learn it is that we need to put structures in place to ensure it does not happen in the present."
It was an important issue, and "we need to be able to protect children".
Ms Harney said "this matter involves the North-South Ministerial Council because it will be dealt with on an all-island basis". The council, however, "has been in abeyance for some time, unfortunately".
She could not give a date for the legislation to come before the Dáil "because I do not have one".
