Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I was speaking about the need for a review after six months. The Minister said he thinks that is too soon because there would not be time to flesh it out and to see how the legislation is working. The point I think we are all trying to make is that we do not need six months to know that the legislation is unsuitable and outrageous in that it excludes, for example, people who spent less than six months in an institution. Our opportunity to debate amendments such as this one is not available to us because the amendments have been ruled out of order, so our only hope that these changes might be made at this point is that a review is done as soon as possible. Any later is not good enough. The point the Minister is trying to make, I think, is that we do not need time to know that this legislation is okay. Experts in human rights, his own Department's report, the Oak report, survivors themselves and psychologists who are experts in early years have all said that the legislation is not suitable. Six months is too long, as far as we are concerned. I hope the Minister will reconsider and accept this amendment.