Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)

I welcome the Ferns Report and the announcement of a similar inquiry into the Dublin diocese. It is vital that we understand what occurred and implement fully the recommendations of this report. A number of things struck me about the report but due to the limited time available to me I will just focus on two of them. The first thing is that the individual allegations were shockingly explicit. It was clear that the abuse was possible because those carrying out the abuse were people who had access to children by way of their position within the community. They were trusted implicitly. When allegations were made, as they were over and over again, they were not believed. Not being believed compounded the abuse that robbed those victims of the innocence of childhood. We must pay attention to those conditions if we are to learn from the bravery of those who have come forward to tell of their abuse and protect our children in the future. We must not fall into the trap of blaming all for the sins of a few because that offers no protection.

The second thing that was obvious to me was the power of the media. Clearly the programme broadcast in March 2002, "Suing the Pope", forced the setting up of the inquiry in the first place. The report acknowledges that. In that context I wish to refer to the refusal of the Department of Education and Science to hand over documents in the National Archives on special schools, reformatories and orphanages. These documents show the relationship between the institutions run by the church and the State. They are vital to our understanding of what took place. The Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, referred to openness. Documents over 30 years old generally go to the National Archives and under the National Archives Act 1986 there is a get-out clause to the effect that if documents are in regular use or if it would interfere with the running of a Department their transfer does not always take place. The documents are being used and the Department is complying with the legislation on the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse and the Residential Institutions Redress Board. I am told the transfer of these documents to the National Archive would interfere with this inquiry. However, 1986 is a long time ago and digital equipment would allow copies of those documents to be made available in the National Archives for people who want to inspect them.

The last thing I wish to do is hinder the redress board in its work but it is possible to provide wider access to the documents. Many people are entering into this process, as they are invited to do in newspaper advertisements every week, and the last thing we want is for their wounds to be re-opened when on the conclusion of that work in 2008 they discover that a whole raft of additional information is put into the public arena. For that reason the documents should be put into the National Archives without delay.

Prior to the setting up of the redress board a most restrictive approach was taken to inquiries about these documents. People were told there was a shortage of space in which to view these documents. Freedom of information requests by the media have received the same kind of reply to that which I received, that it would interfere with the running of the Department. Let us end the silence on this matter. Silence was part of the problem that caused this abuse in the past. The openness to which the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, referred is something to which the State must pay attention.

I agree with what Deputy O'Donnell said about the inappropriate relationship that existed between the church and State. The several churches and the State should exist as separate entities. The Ferns Report has brought admissions by clerics of an inadequate understanding of human sexuality yet there was no shortage of guidance from that same body throughout the history of the State. That guidance is now seen as inappropriate. It is a pity so many lives have been destroyed before we could get these kind of admissions. I agree with Deputy O'Donnell that this issue should be acted upon.

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