Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The Taoiseach's response in repeating the mantra that he employed here before does not answer the questions put to him or the immediacy and importance of meeting Marie Therese O'Loughlin's case. This was not an overnight hostel as his choice of language would imply. Marie Therese O'Loughlin spent four and a half years of her young life in that institution. It can be described as nothing else. She was there for four and a half years because she was too young to be placed in any other institution at that time.

The reality is that if the Taoiseach is going to stick to his interpretation of the Act and its application and employed by the Minister for Education and Science, there is a bounden responsibility on him to amend the legislation to allow this institution to be included and Marie Therese's case, and the case of any other legitimately presenting, to be heard before the redress board. There is no other answer the Taoiseach can give.

When a Department, one strangely enough under the control of the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, commends to the Taoiseach's party colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, to take this course of action more than nine months ago, it is not satisfactory that the Taoiseach gets up in this House this morning and continues to kick to touch. It is not acceptable and on behalf of all who seek justice in Marie Therese's case, and all others who deserve to be heard, I ask the Taoiseach once again will he directly intervene? Will he take the appropriate steps to have this case properly met and this poor woman's case heard within the redress process?

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