Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I repeat what I said on Committee Stage. This amendment is fundamental to the Bill. It is important to remember the Department of Education and Science is being investigated, which is quite unusual. The Minister said on Committee Stage and previously that the issues under investigation happened a number of years ago, with which I agree. However, it is important to remember Ms Justice Laffoy's criticisms are quite recent — they were made in the lifetime of this Dáil. She found the Department obstructed the work of the commission.

We all hope a new era has dawned, that the Department's attitude towards the commission has changed and that Mr. Justice Ryan is receiving greater co-operation than his predecessor, Ms Justice Laffoy. However, we cannot take that in good faith. While this is in no way a criticism of the Minister, it is wrong that the Department of Education and Science is the sponsoring Department for this legislation. That has shown up the difficulties. Had it not been the sponsoring Department during the tenure of Ms Justice Laffoy, the situation may have been different. Her criticisms were wide-ranging and serious and that must be remembered.

I intend to press this amendment. As I said at the time of Ms Justice Laffoy's resignation, the Department of the Taoiseach would be a far more appropriate Department. It is also important to remember that many of the victims have expressed a lack of faith in the capacity of the Department of Education and Science to be the sponsoring Department. However, the fundamental issue is that the Department itself is being investigated in regard to actions over many decades and, in a sense, more recently.

See this speech in context