Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I agree with much of what the Deputy has said. Characterising these children as being discarded is an accurate characterisation which goes to the attitude the State had over those decades to the children of unmarried mothers. It is shocking, unacceptable and appalling, and we have to meet that in our time, as we have met other awfulness from our past. Speaking on behalf of the Government, I am ruling nothing out as to how we should proceed. We are scoping out how far this went. Whether there are other locations we need to look at needs to be determined, as well as what records exist within the HSE or religious institutions. We will scope this out in the coming weeks and come back to the House with a proposal. We will then have a proper cross-party debate, as we all want, in order to have the full truth exposed in regard to these apparently horrific events which scar our past.

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