Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

Three of the 18 congregations are now responding to the Government and there is a Government response urging the congregations to act on ethical grounds and make an appropriate response at this point. I commend The Irish Times today for giving people a forum in which to air their views and thoughts at the disgust people feel about what has been unveiled by the Ryan commission.

I welcome the Government's acceptance of the recommendations yesterday. That is important, but it is an implementation plan that is necessary. Many of these recommendations have been made previously. Frankly, the idea of a Minister of State reporting to Government at the end of July on what steps it should take to implement the recommendations is not adequate. It lacks a sense of urgency. It is too late to be coming in when the House is in recess at the end of July with an action plan. This report demands an immediate response, not just from a Minister of State but from the Taoiseach.