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

This case is harrowing and shocks people to the core, particularly given the fact that such a young child was left in a vulnerable position for such a prolonged period between 1996 and 2009. She was not in a position to speak or to defend herself and the whistleblower is clear that the most appalling acts of abuse were perpetrated in this case. We have a dark history in respect of child abuse in this country. We have had numerous inquiries on many fronts that have sought to get to the truth of different incidents and systemic abuses against children in different settings such as institutions, the church and many others. In this case, we are examining summer respite services. Apparently, in this foster home, a family allegedly provided a service during the summer offering two to three weeks respite for the families and children concerned. Up to 47 individuals availed of that service over a period. Grace was there for a prolonged period. The question screaming out for answer is: why was she left in that position for so long? Given the then health board had decided in 1996 that there was enough concern not to recognise that this service should be availed of by its clients and their families, and given no new placements were made, why were that child and another, Ann, left there for so long, right up to the present day? Deputy Clare Daly has made assertions in this regard and they need urgent clarification. If there is correspondence, it should be published. That needs to be clarified for everyone's sake.

I welcome the fact that a decision, in principle, has been taken to establish an inquiry and that will fall to the next Oireachtas to establish. I would have preferred if Ministers had taken questions on this. In previous Dáileanna, when issues of this substance emerged, there was always a practice of taking private notice questions, or special notice questions as they are called now, where Ministers would spend an hour to an hour and a half answering a series of questions on an issue but that has not happened during this Dáil. The House is not fully au faitwith the entirely of this issue. The Committee of Public Accounts has obviously done a great deal of work and the whistleblower has been in touch with members of the committee but the Dáil, in plenary session, would have benefited from Ministers taking questions, which was the norm during previous Dáileanna but not apparently during this one.

The Taoiseach said the precedent for this is the Ryan inquiry. I do not understand how that is a precedent for a commission of investigation because that was conducted prior to a commission of investigation.

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