Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is worth reading. It is the background to what we are discussing now, as it is to the redress board, which we discussed this morning. This is important for survivors because sometimes a blaming attitude comes across from institutions generally. During our earlier session, I read into the record some of the conclusions of that report, including that the deferential and submissive attitude of the Department of Education and Skills towards the congregations compromised its ability to carry out its statutory duty and so on. I do not believe that applies only to the Department of Education and Skills.

In regard to the congregations, one of the many recommendations is that they examine how their ideals became debased by systemic abuse, how they came to tolerate breaches of their own rules, and when sexual and physical abuse was discovered, how they responded to it and those who perpetrated it. It is important to reiterate that the congregations were specifically asked to examine their attitude to neglect and emotional abuse and, more generally, how the interests of the institutions and the congregations came to be placed ahead of those of the children who were in their care. Leaving aside the specifics of that recommendation, there is always a danger that an institution will become more important, particularly so in the case of Caranua.

It is a big challenge to ensure the institution does not become more important than what it was set up to do. Ms Higgins would acknowledge that. It has only been functioning for three years. Is that right?