Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister for her response on this matter. The six reports published by the National Board for Safeguarding Children two weeks ago outlined once again the abuse that many children had to suffer in this country in recent years. In regard to the six dioceses, that abuse was within the Catholic Church. The national board's report and work is commendable and welcome in the sense that it is ensuring that practices within the church at present are what they should be, identifying that the proper procedure and practice is in place and making recommendations to ensure that, where there are still some weaknesses, they are remedied immediately.

That board carries out its particular purpose. However, it does not go back over the failures of the church over the years, nor, indeed, does it take into account or examine how the State would have failed those victims at the same time. For those-----

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