Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

I have some comments on the report of the Ryan report and the discussion that will take place today. It is very important this is debated — there is no doubt about that. I heard the comment about discussing institutional abuse and I reiterate a point I made earlier this week. It is very important we find mechanisms for people who suffered abuse under anybody's hands, institutional or otherwise, to come forward. I accept the helplines are not supported enough to take all the calls they are receiving.

There are many people who never come forward and the paths their lives take are seriously challenged and changed by the abuse they suffered at a young age. Perhaps there should be a separate debate, but I do not like separating institutional abuse from other abuse. Abuse is abuse and we must find mechanisms to help people to come forward who feel they cannot do so, and provide them with the support, care and help they need to deal with the trauma of what has happened to them. I include in that all types of abuse.

I support the call for a discussion on the marine. I agree with the comments on alcohol and its relationship with suicide and many other problems in our daily and social lives.

I ask the Leader to again consider Seanad reform. We came in here a couple of years ago and the first issue raised was Seanad reform, which lasted, as usual, for the first week. We then talked about alcohol and a statement was made at that stage that — I am paraphrasing — if we did nothing else but take one or two issues and really drive them, we would have done something. Sporadically, one, two or three of us — a small group — constantly raise the issue of alcohol, yet no concerted effort is made to put together a case that we can drive over a particular line. I am not saying it is a simple issue. It is a complex issue, but I ask the Leader to keep it on the agenda and keep talking about it to try to find solutions, whatever they may be.

I ask how we can find a mechanism to discuss the Judiciary, judicial sentencing and reoffending. There is a separation between politics and the Judiciary and there is a separation of powers, but we must find a mechanisms to discuss the issue because no one should be above criticism or constructive debate.