Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I listened to the Taoiseach yesterday and again this morning. It saddens me that he cannot find it in himself to give a decent apology. One would be forgiven for thinking that unfortunate children aged nine and women as old as 89 went into the laundries voluntarily. The Taoiseach is saying "sorry" for the activities that went on in the Magdalen laundries and for the results of the report, but he is afraid, unwilling or unable to give a full apology as Head of Government.

When the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice and Equality were in opposition, Deputy Shatter, unlike when he was on the radio yesterday and this morning, could not find enough adjectives in the dictionary to describe how barbaric the laundries were. What a change we see in Deputy Shatter. He is the one man who, under the guidance of the Taoiseach, can attack all of us for what we said in the past. They send their researchers to spend weeks digging up bits and bobs of what was said 20 years ago. It is only a few years since Deputy Shatter was in opposition. It has become the mantra of the Government to deny and hide.

The Taoiseach speaks about the 1,400 page report. I compliment former Senator McAleese and his team.

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