Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As we are speaking earlier than expected it is not clear if Deputy Halligan will arrive in the Chamber. I appreciate the forbearance of the Acting Chairman.

I am happy to add to the statements made by the party leaders and the Head of Government, An Taoiseach. I compliment the Taoiseach on his fulsome, honest and heartfelt apology on behalf of the Government, the Cabinet, backbenchers, his party and, more importantly, the people of this country.

I welcome the remaining members of the Magdalen women who are present in the Gallery this evening. I met them outside the gates of Leinster House. They did themselves proud with the dignity with which they held their silent, candle-lit vigil as dusk was falling. They gave a nice rendition of the sad song from which the Taoiseach quoted a line in his speech. That tells its own story.

The Magdalen women are a coterie of people who have been abused beyond all recognition. No words of mine, the Taoiseach or any Member of this House can ever bring back the lost lives, lost time and the separation, anguish and trauma they experienced in the Magdalen laundries. Neither will it bring back the loss of friendship and the comradeship of siblings, parents and loved ones throughout the time of their incarceration.

Times have changed. I thank former Senator McAleese for his report. I welcome the fact that the Government bestowed the job of chairmanship of the committee on him. It cost €11,400 for a 1,000 page report. However, pages and volumes of books do not matter; it is what the reports contain that is important. I refer to the telling and moving stories. I salute the women who had the courage to recount with humility and honesty the awful stories of what happened to them in spite of the memories they evoked. It was a truly shocking and appalling vista that emerged.

We could say it happened at a different time in the past but the State must take the blame for 28% of the women and what went on at the time. Some women went into the laundries voluntarily and others were put in by their families. They must examine their consciences, as we all have to. We knew of people in our neighbourhood who were put away for whatever reason. Thankfully, some women of whom I am aware were taken back into the community in later years and reunited with their families. In a case of which I am aware an excellent service was provided by an individual in minding her siblings and playing a full part in my local community. I knew her affectionately as Peg. I never knew she existed or was in a laundry until she arrived back and played a full and honest part in the community. One would not meet a finer lady. She went through trauma but she did not discuss it with anyone. She carried it with dignity and played a full part in her home.

I welcome the fact that pension rights will be considered for the rest of the women who are alive today. I am a fervent supporter of most of the sisters, brothers, priests and clergy but the religious orders must pay some compensation because the laundries were a business that were based on slave labour. That cannot be tolerated. Pension rights must accrue to those people and pensions must be paid. I am pleased that an eminent judge has been appointed to examine the situation. I am particularly pleased, and I hope and pray, that any redress will not become a legal quagmire. We do not want that. We have had too much experience of tribunals and the gravy trains they became for lawyers. People were left even more embittered following court cases and related situations. Deputy Halligan has arrived. I ask you, Acting Chairman, to tell me how much time I have left in order that we have five minutes each.

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