Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister will agree, as he has done previously, that this is a last opportunity for many. In his response to me, Deputies Sandra McLellan and Robert Troy who are present he was specific when he afforded us a briefing in advance of the media briefing on Friday a week ago. Those who went through the experience of being in any of the institutions or locations not listed in the terms of reference should be able to seek an opportunity to come before the commission of investigation, either through the confidential committee or any other mechanism the commission will provide. This must happen in order that they can be heard, have their pain acknowledged and, I hope, the commission can recommend to the Minister that they not be excluded from any subsequent redress scheme. Will the Minister, please, confirm that this was the answer he gave us on Friday a week ago? Having asked the question earlier about the trafficking of children throughout the country by various interests, mainly religious, how does he expect the commission of investigation to notify all potential witnesses? How widely will the net be cast? Does he expect all means of media communication and others to be employed? Will it apply across the entire island of Ireland and in all of the other international settings where the possible illegal adoption practices resulted in the placement of children?

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