Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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Like Deputy McGuinness, I am not a member of this committee. I appreciate being allowed to speak. I know the witnesses have been here a long time. I will say two things. First, when you take on the system or the State in any way, shape or form, you are up against it. You are dismissed and nearly painted as being crazy. The State will do everything in its power not to answer the questions.

That leads me to my main point. I am not a member of this committee but I am the Chair of the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. We have spent a great deal of time dealing with the fall-out and the legacy of the State's many failings with regard to the mother and baby homes. When people first heard the commission of investigation into the mother and baby homes was going to happen, they were delighted because they thought somebody would finally listen and they would get answers. In fact, people ended up feeling more frustrated. Regardless of what type of investigation or inquiry is done, it has to be accountable. It cannot be used as another box-ticking exercise, which Mr. Brennan has obviously been experiencing for many years at this stage. Such exercises involve people passing the buck and saying that the matters under scrutiny are not relevant to their Department. Sometimes people are told "No, you are wrong". If Mr. Brennan gets an inquiry, he does not want it to result in the State saying that it has done something even though it is really not adequate. It is really important that this is done correctly. I do not think a committee would be allowed to do that type of investigation. It would have to be something like a commission of investigation. It is really important that all of that is watched. The terms of reference will be key. They will be crucial.

I know from dealing with other people who came up against these difficulties that when they thought they were finally getting justice, they actually got the opposite. It is really important that any investigation is done correctly and that there is accountability. It must not be a sympathy exercise. As others have said, that is not what Mr. Brennan is looking for. He has persevered with this against all the odds over the years, even at times when all the agencies that were basically against him were named out. That is an impossible task. The story in itself is absolutely shocking. It is important that it is not just an inquiry but that it is done correctly and that there is accountability. All the answers must be sought. I agree with what Deputy Flaherty has said about the various agencies being brought into it. The terms of reference are so important. When people hear that there is to be an inquiry, they often think it is great because they are finally going to get answers. The terms of reference can nearly be overlooked in such circumstances. That would be my advice.

I mention one other thing. I am conscious that I am not a member of this committee, but I think it should follow up on what Mr. Walshe said about factories self-regulating. He mentioned a factory that was given something like two weeks' notice when the EPA was coming out. I do not know if things have changed since then, but it seems unacceptable that there would be that level of notice for an inspection.