Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

Yesterday, the Taoiseach and the House set out in the clearest and most strenuous language that the abuse and sheltering of abusers which has come to light in respect of the Roman Catholic Church will not be tolerated and that any undue interference by the Vatican would not only be viewed negatively, but would have negative consequences for the relationship between this State and that one. I acknowledge fully the sincerity of Ministers Shatter and Fitzgerald in respect of the State's obligation to protect fully our children. We demand of the church or any other private institution that they respect the laws of the land. We have to be very sure that the laws of the land are robust and are implemented. In that respect, when we come back in the autumn, I ask that the child welfare and protection agency Bill, the children first Bill and the national vetting bureau Bill have realistic timetables, and that, having castigated the church, we do not have a situation in which the State fails our children.

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