Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank both witnesses for attending. I am stunned following the contributions of the two Senators. There are no words to describe the lack of appropriate communication. That shows a lack of empathy. As has been said, the State has failed but, worse still and to our shame, as a State, we continue to fail. I commend the witnesses who are so brave in their advocacy for the women.

The Minister published the Caranua eligibility review on 29 May. The statement said the Department would like to get the views of survivors on how that consultation process should proceed and that to give their views a short survey form could be accessed at . Was anyone consulted on the proposal to put the survey up on the Department's website? There is something gravely insulting about the next steps of an issue of that magnitude being reduced to a survey on the Department's website. Was there any consultation or was it news to the witnesses on the day?

Regarding the eligibility review, how can Caranua properly assist the interdepartmental committee process considering its imminent closure? Based on everything the witnesses have told us, Caranua does not have the information because it has not engaged with survivors. How can it assist? I just do not understand that because does not make sense to me.

It states on page 22 of the eligibility review:

One of the options for the next steps is for Caranua to continue with its current approach in managing the fund within the €15,000 cap, having regard to survivors' needs. Caranua already seeks to manage the fund as fairly as possible and to respond to the needs of survivors.

How does a €15,000 cap have regard to survivors' needs because surely the needs are vary on a person-by-person basis? Is there not a conflict within that option? Surely the assistance must be tailored. There are so many contradictions that it is appalling.