Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am sure the Minister will accept that since the 1990s this House has debated many scandals, allegations and issues surrounding sexual abuse, particularly of children and young people, and the rape of young people, which happened across the country in different contexts within the church from diocese to diocese, within sport, particularly in swimming, and within schools. There is an ongoing inquiry, for example, into child abuse in Northern Ireland. We have had many inquiries here and many commissions of inquiry in the Republic. One need only recall Cloyne, Ferns and Dublin, to give a number of examples.

Everyone in this House was very clear in terms of condemning that abuse and in condemning anybody who would have been complicit in the cover up of that abuse. I am particularly mindful of the very strong and strident comments of Deputy Mary Lou McDonald. Back in 2009, which was a significant year, as we know now, in the context of the report of abuse in the Dublin diocese, she said that anyone, including gardaí, found to be complicit in the cover-up of child abuse must be arrested and made to face the full rigours of the law. She also made other significant comments on that occasion. If one substituted the words "Sinn Féin leadership" or Sinn Féin authorities" for the words "the church", "gardaí" or "others", I wonder would people come to the same conclusion in terms of what should happen.

Suffice to say that allegations were ignored across the board for too long and many people were emotionally scarred and traumatised as a result. One of the big issues for many people in those abuse scandals was the fear of coming forward, the fear of being stigmatised and, above all, the fear of not being believed and being undermined by those who would have abused them.

When the Maíria Cahill episode occurred we saw similar patterns emerging of attempts to undermine her credibility, and an online campaign was launched against her undermining her character and so on. This week we have had the heartbreaking account of Paudie McGahon's story on the "Spotlight" programme on Tuesday night. He gained the courage to tell his story, and Maíria Cahill telling her story was the trigger for him to go public on the issue. Both of their actions have encouraged others to come forward. Fundamentally, the people want justice and the truth. It is very important that we be clear that there is a responsibility on all involved to obey the law and to respond to the legal requirements. I was struck by the fact that on LMFM yesterday, the leader of Sinn Féin, Deputy Adams, when asked whether it was not a breach of the Children First guidelines - whose aim is to protect children - not to report this, made an extraordinary comment to the effect that, first of all, in order for a statement to be made to the Garda, someone needs to substantiate it.

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