Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge what has been done to date and the Minister's response when I raised this issue on Leaders' Questions recently. However, there is a problem in that only 50% of the applicants have been dealt with and the pace is slow. Can those who are of advanced years or who have serious health problems be prioritised? Is the Minister satisfied that the Department is in receipt of all the records that are available, not only from the religious orders that were involved but from other sources, and is she satisfied that they have been co-operating?

There is also the issue of those who have been refused. Is the Ombudsman their only recourse or is there another way they can be advocated for? I refer to ladies who have mental health issues and are unable to advocate for themselves. They either had a mental health issue that caused them to be placed in an institution or the issue emerged or was exacerbated because they were institutionalised. What is the position in this regard? What is the position of ladies who are in nursing homes and still under the care of a religious order? I acknowledge that the quality of care is excellent. These are outstanding issues, including the pace of the inquiries. I hope those living outside the State and those with serious medical issues can be addressed as a priority.

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