Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am not seeking additional briefing. I am seeking answers.

I am asking the State to change its course of action. The Government has an ex gratiascheme. It is instructive that it is ex gratiabecause, as the Minister concedes, it is a matter of denying liability.

Let me tell the Minister about his scheme. Of the 210 victims the State bullied into dropping their cases of abuse, 15 have applied to the scheme and have been determined. Of that 15, eight have failed. That is now the compassionate response to these victims. Not only did the Minister initially bully these individuals into not pursuing the State with threats of massive bills, but now he actually prevents them from reopening their cases and pursuing their very just cause through a court of law. I do not know how the Minister defends that. I certainly do not know how the Government talks about new politics when surely the acid test of new politics in the State is that the Government does not browbeat and ballyrag victims who were failed by the State.

I did not ask the Minister generally about costs but very specifically about John Allen who will be in the High Court. I want the Minister to give an assurance that this man, who was failed and bullied by the State and prevented from a remedy through the court------

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