Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In common with other speakers, I commend Maíria Cahill on having the courage, determination and resilience to come forward and tell her story, particularly so many years after the event. This was a classic case of a young woman suddenly discovering that her youth was taken from her, that she had been used in a callous situation for a political purpose or in this case, for republican purposes, in order to pursue an objective. She was obviously seen and perceived herself as being a casualty of war, which has been referred to in some debates in this Chamber in recent years. Many atrocities have befallen this island over the years from which one wishes to be disassociated. This one is particularly different; it is invidious, insidious and challenges the very foundation of Members' inner beings. There is a suggestion of organised complicity, in the sense that a lot of people obviously knew about this. A lot of people obviously did nothing about it and a lot of people obviously regarded this as a natural thing in what was called a war situation. Reference has been made to republicans of the past and the founding fathers of the State. I must state there was and is a vast difference. At the foundation of the State, a mandate was given to those who were leaders in this country at that time in a general election in 1918. There was no mandate for what happened to Maíria Cahill from any quarter either in the North of Ireland or here in the South. Nobody can complain and shelter under the prospect of there being a mandate or that this was all done in a good cause, the cause of Ireland's freedom. In actual fact, it besmirches those who fought and died for this country's freedom over many years and in particular at the foundation of the State. Incidentally, one suggestion put forward initially was that the sexual abuse was consensual. There is no such thing as consensual sexual activity with a 16 year old. It does not happen because if an adult has sex with a minor, Members know what are the charges. However, knowing that the person is a minor is another particularly horrendous crime in itself.

While this is not a political point, I simply state that the issues facing the IRA and Sinn Féin in this regard are much wider than they themselves think. It is a sad situation when anybody would attempt to make excuses for what happened and which obviously, as is admitted, clearly happened. I refer to making excuses along the lines that have been made, as well as various suggestions and red herrings as to how situations like this could have come about, how certain things did not happen and how there were systems failures. There were no systems failures, as at the time those involved knew full well what they were at. They knew full well what were the implications and that the freedom of a youngster was being taken. This allegedly was being done in the national interest. Like hell it was. The seriousness of this issue goes to the very foundation of the people's revulsion in their attitude to atrocities of this nature. It is worse because attempts have been made to justify it. Attempts have been made to stand over the things that have happened and to create an anonymity around the people who were the culprits. I acknowledge that people have stated in the past that the police in Northern Ireland, the RUC, were legitimate targets in a war situation. It also has been suggested in times gone by that members of the Garda obviously were legitimate targets in this jurisdiction in a war situation. However, this is one step lower and is a completely different situation. I am not aware of any time since the foundation of the State that it ever has been suggested that rape or child abuse could be perceived as a legitimate use or tool in the course of the war, no matter how holy was that war or no matter how justified was the cause. The abuse of women and children cannot be justified in any circumstances and the quicker that all those involved recognise that what was done was utterly and totally appalling, the better. It is not just a political issue but is a crime against humanity. It was a crime against a young person who was in the charge or the influence of an adult and who could not respond and who thought, because of her particular situation, that she was in good, capable and caring hands. She was not.

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