Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

My request for all-party unity on this matter is based on that point. I would like to think and expect that the Taoiseach would arrange a meeting with the religious institutions and my view is that an all-party motion this week on this matter would be of great support to the Taoiseach and the Government in giving a cross-party Oireachtas view of the moral responsibility of religious institutions.

I fully understand the Taoiseach's comment about the wider debate on the Ryan commission, which will happen when the Dáil resumes after the election process. That is a matter for another day. I am concerned now about the message that the Oireachtas can send out this week with the first opportunity it has to address the consequences and findings of the Ryan commission.

I think of Mary Brown's tears to me last weekend when she recounted for me in graphic detail her being dragged from a black Volkswagen car by a child protection officer, her pants pulled down and her being raped in County Cork. It is for people like this that we need, as an Oireachtas and irrespective of our party political affiliations, to send out a message of support and solidarity.

I strongly recommend that the Taoiseach arrange with the Whips immediately on the conclusion of the Order of Business for us to come in tomorrow morning with a simple agreed motion of unity with a basis of support for the victims and the moral responsibility of religious institutions to face up to the consequences of this by making a greater contribution. The victims of these appalling incidents should be consulted and new people who have the courage to come forward should be taken into the arms of the Government in that sense. These fundamental principles should be enshrined in a simple motion that every Member of the Oireachtas can respond to in full and in total solidarity in dealing with this.

Mary Brown is a bright and intelligent woman. If one spoke to her for ten minutes, one would be convinced that the power of argument in her speaking from her soul is so strong that, irrespective of any political divide on any other issue, there should be unity about this. I strongly recommend to the Taoiseach and ask him again that we have a simple motion of unity and solidarity arising from the findings and publication of the report. We can deal with an all-party agreement in respect of the details of the Ryan commission when the House resumes in a couple of weeks.

There are other matters which need to be dealt with in respect of child protection and safeguarding as well. For now, there is a river of sentiment and powerful emotion among our people that this be dealt with. I extend across this Chamber the hand of political unity in the interests of all our people, the victims of abuse and the children, which we all were once. This is an occasion for the State to respond as a state. I offer that element of political leadership from this side of the House and I hope the Taoiseach will accept it in the spirit in which it is given.

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