Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I urge the Minister, bearing in mind the pressures on the offices of the Parliamentary Counsel and the Attorney General, to ensure the legislation is put in place as soon as possible. I have previously raised with him in parliamentary questions and at the committee the expressed concerns of the representative groups with which he met in July 2011 to discuss the remit of the statutory fund to ensure assistance would continue to be provided for the families and descendants of some of those who endured awful treatment in institutions. I also raised this issue with him in the context of our processing of the residential institutions statutory fund Bill. I am sure these concerns have also been outlined to him and other Oireachtas Members. A number of the groups with which I spoke recently are concerned that the framework as envisaged will not adequately cater for the needs of particular individuals, particularly the children and grandchildren who have been availing of assistance through the education system. The groups are concerned that this assistance will not be forthcoming under the new statutory fund. It is hoped the Minister or his officials will engage with the groups which remain concerned about the extent of the assistance that will be available to the people concerned following enactment of the legislation. We all appreciate the terrible suffering and trauma endured by so many of them.

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