Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Sometimes when one is the final speaker all points have been covered. I do not like to go back over things if there is no need. I have an observation. Ms Ansbro made an excellent point about Tuam only being discovered in 2017. That is why it is so important, if at all possible, that we ensure we get this right and cover all potential sites because who would have thought, in 2017, that such a discovery would be made? We just do not know about so many of the sites and so many of the homes. Some of them were not included in the mother and baby homes report but that is why it is really important we get this right.

In all of the sessions so far, what is coming through really strongly is the issue of the coroner. That goes back to the point that was being made about accountability and that is why it is important we have that. It is very interesting and the whole point of pre-legislative scrutiny is that we get to tease everything out and get to hear all the various views, be they those of survivors, which are so important, or from experts in the field. One thing that is really interesting to me is the issue relating to the coroner, which is coming up consistently. This information will be really helpful to us in the remainder of our deliberations and when we are compiling our report. I sincerely thank the witnesses for their presentations, which were really interesting. The discussions so far today have been really good and positive.