Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

The decent people around the country, who comprise the vast majority, are throwing their hands in the air once more because of the revelations in the most recent report. It is most shocking that some of the events it covers are so recent and, therefore, the ignorance that could have been preferred in the 1980s does not feature in this instance. The bishop at the heart of the report was also at the heart of Vatican bureaucracy for so long. This goes some way towards explaining the omertÀ-like code of silence applied in protecting those who were abusing children and doing so at enormous expense to the victims and society. While the Government has responded to the report, it should afford us an opportunity next week to have a comprehensive debate on all that arises from this recurring sorry tale.

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