Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Nobody doubts the seriousness of the issue. There should not be and there cannot be a hiding place for those who carry out those kind of offences. Under the North-South Ministerial Council, although it is not specifically part of the remit of the council, the issues are dealt with bilaterally. I did receive a letter from the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, in regard to a proposal for the establishment through the North-South Ministerial Council of an all-island process to deal with the issue of support mechanisms for those who were victims of sexual abuse during the Troubles, and that it would include support for victims of abuse in all communities and to ensure greater access to counselling and other supports for victims of abuse, and to facilitate victims and survivors in accessing the justice system and making official complaints. I responded to that letter because people should be aware of the specific processes ongoing in Northern Ireland, namely, the review by the Northern Ireland Director of Public Prosecutions and the reference to the Police Ombudsman's office in respect of a specific case.

It is important that the relevant authorities, North and South, are able to proceed unimpeded with their work in this regard. I completely agree with Deputy Martin that it is simply not good enough and absolutely appalling that a victim of abuse is being pressurised in whatever fashion, by whomever on the instructions of whomever.

The Deputy is aware that the Garda liaises closely with Tusla in respect of any child protection concerns that arise, in accordance with the standing protocol between the two services. It also liaises closely with the Police Service of Northern Ireland in respect of any criminal activity or child protection issues that arise.

As far as I am aware, since the Maíria Cahill revelations became public and the discussion in the Dáil, no new information has come into the possession of the Department of Justice and Equality arising from Ms Cahill's revelations or from information received by Deputies Doherty and Adams. This does not mean the Garda has not uncovered or come across information that is not yet known to the Department or publicly. It may well be that it has come across other information.

When this issue first emerged, we considered whether to have some form of joint North-South inquiry or commission. As the North and South are two separate legal jurisdictions, it is not as simple as it may appear to take this kind of approach. At the moment, we have close co-operation and the offices of the Police Ombudsman and Director of Public Prosecutions in Northern Ireland are carrying out independent investigations. The Garda is also liaising with Tusla and is in touch with the Department of Justice and Equality. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Fitzgerald, and her counterpart in the Northern Ireland Executive, the Minister for Justice, Mr. David Ford, are obviously involved in the current situation and some further action may come out of it.

I am not sure whether one should set up an institution. The Deputy First Minister wrote to me about having a process by which these matters could be dealt with. A number of independent entities are already dealing with this and it is a case of deciding what is the best thing to do here. We do not want to interfere with the Director of Public Prosecutions and Police Ombudsman's offices in Northern Ireland or the relationship between Tusla and the Garda or the information that may be passing between them. However, nobody can argue with the seriousness of this matter.

I have not met Mr. McGahon who made comments publicly today and is, I understand, the subject of a television programme later this evening. We should all view this matter with the utmost seriousness. Those in organisations or entities who have information should come forward with it and those who have the courage to speak out should not be abused or pressurised on the instructions of people who might not want his kind of information to come into the public domain in the first place. I admire their courage and we should do everything we can to have this work done unimpeded and in a confidential manner.

This issue is far too serious for general assumptions. These are serious cases which the victims must carry with them every day of their lives. Politicians must decide what is the best thing to do here.

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