The debate was opened by Democratic Unionist Party member Edwin Poots, who is chair of the committee for the children's commissioner. He described the initial announcement in January of the intention to appoint a commissioner as 'a step towards ensuring that our children can grow up in a society, safe from exploitation and abuse, where their rights are protected and where their needs are met'.
Mr Poots explained how the committee had heard hours of evidence from various organisations. A group of young people also said what they thought of the proposal, while representatives from Wales and Norway talked about their first-hand experience of a children's commissioner.
Mr Poots said the cost of implementing a commissioner in Northern Ireland would be similar to that in Wales, where 800,000 has been set aside.
The committee's deputy, Democratic Unionist Party member Oliver Gibson, urged the Assembly to ensure the commissioner is given adequate resources to carry out the full remit of the job.
The Assembly approved a report on the proposal to appoint a commissioner and called on the First Minister to take full account of its recommendations.
Meanwhile, the children's commissioner for Wales will be required to have regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Welsh Assembly minister for children Jane Hutt said last week, 'This is yet another first for Wales and for the UK. Not only do we have the UK's first independent, statutory children's commissioner, but these regulations represent the first legislation in the UK which refers in this way to the Convention.'
