Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

The Minister for Education and Science discussed the question of extending the age from 18 years to 21 years in respect of those who were victims in residential institutions, which is properly addressed in the Labour Party Bill. The Minister's defence for not addressing the issue is that there is a case on appeal awaited in the Supreme Court. The State lost this case in the High Court. During the time when so many people suffered almost incomprehensible barbarity and abuse in our institutions, they were considered minors until they reached 21 years of age.

This is a political decision, a matter of judgment to be made in the House, not on the basis of some technical constitutional argument the Government has already lost in the High Court and to be repeated in the Supreme Court with all of the legal expense attached to that.

See this speech in context