Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The House knows we have passed the Protections for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act, the Sex Offenders Act, the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, the Children Act and the Protection of Children (Hague Convention) Act and established the Garda central vetting unit. However, we must also recognise other areas in which progress has been made. The gardaí in the diocese of Ferns have rightly prosecuted child abusers from 1990 onwards, as the report makes clear. Their omissions in the past have been corrected. Mr. Justice Murphy also emphasised the independence and integrity of the Garda over this 15-year period. The former South Eastern Health Board showed a willingness and determination to investigate and expose child sexual abuse.

Mr. Justice Murphy considered the response unit put in place in the Ferns diocese by Bishop Walsh to be adequate and reasonable. It is clear that Bishop Walsh's responsible invitation to framework guidelines, adopted by the bishops in 1996, emerged as the only positive aspect of this sorry story.

There are recommendations on which we must act. It is obviously important that we learn from past mistakes, including those of the church, to ensure the abuses that occurred never occur again. Citizens, especially parents, will rightly expect that the 1996 guidelines will continue to be implemented, not only in the diocese of Ferns but also in every other diocese. The Government will write to the church authorities to ask whether this is being done. People will also expect the recommendations of the Ferns report to be implemented. Some of the recommendations require legislation while others do not. We agree with them in principle and will immediately proceed with their implementation. Their consideration will obviously take some time given that most of us only read them this morning. They are set down by Mr. Justice Murphy and we have an obligation to act on them.

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