Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Martin McAleese-led interdepartmental committee’s report is to be highly commended on producing a comprehensive report in a professional manner.

It is written in lay person's language and it cost €11,000. That is in stark contrast to the high profile tribunals and inquiries that have cost the taxpayers millions of euro in the recent past. We should commission a person like Dr. Martin McAleese, and the group involved or similar to carry out any further inquiries into high profile matters in this country. The report gives us food for thought in that respect.

I welcome the Taoiseach's wholehearted apology on behalf of the State. It is very much due. I also welcome his assurance that full reparation will be made to all the victims and that all the supports will be provided and their entitlements will be met in tandem with that.

It is ironic that the Abraham Lincoln story depicting the horrific slavery regime in the southern United States is currently a box office hit in this country, coinciding with the release of this report. This report also demonstrates a similar miscarriage of justice and freedom in this country up to the 20th century. This was carried out with significant State involvement under the watch of successive Administrations until the end of the last century but, unfortunately, there was no Abraham Lincoln or people of the repute of the liberator, Daniel O'Connell, who were prepared to stand up and cry halt in this country. It was most unfortunate that it was allowed to continue until the latter years of the last century, up to 1996.

The testimonies of the survivors indicate that their treatment fits the definition of slavery. They were detained in these institutions, in which women and girls were made work without pay, where physical and psychological punishment was practised and sometimes they were placed in solitary confinement, doors were locked and any escapees were returned under the full rigours of the rules that were applied and the law at that time.

The 1930 Forced Labour Convention of the International Labour Organisation, which Ireland signed in 1931, states that the detention and use of women and girls without pay would amount to being categorised as forced labour. Also the European Convention on Human Rights, ratified by Ireland 1953, also prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The treatment of girls and women and the State's direct involvement in and failure to prevent and deprive them of their basic right to an adequate education contravened the personal rights provision of the 1937 Constitution. This episode in Irish history is a contradiction of many of the aspirations in the Constitution and, prior to it, the 1916 Proclamation. It is a sad episode in our history. The Constitution in 1922 coincided with our freeing the chains of foreign oppression we had in this country for more than 800 years and the initiation at that time of this abuse, which hopefully is now long gone.

I wish the very best to all the victims and I hope that they will be looked after following the commitment that was given here this evening.

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