Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

No. 12d relates to the Ryan report and the Labour Party supports this motion, as do all Members of the House. It is just a preliminary step and the Dáil will have a two-day debate when many of the issues can be explored fully. In the context of the motion, I ask the Minister specifically about reports that the Ryan commission is strongly leaning towards the destruction of all the documents collated, collected and used by the commission in the course of its work.

I understand it may be necessary for the documents to be held confidentially for a protracted period but it would seem extraordinary for the records of the Ryan commission to be disposed of. There are strong indications that the commission is leaning towards the destruction of the documents but this would be an appalling insult to the people who suffered in various institutions.

Will the Government clarify with the Attorney General the position on the civil and criminal records which people who were inmates in the various institutions have?

See this speech in context