Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The Minister did not write that answer, but it is shameful to hide behind such a narrow interpretation of the O'Keeffe ruling. Ms Louise O'Keeffe has commented on the matter of the prior complaint against the abuser in question. She has stated that there is no legal basis for suggesting that it is necessary to establish a prior sexual abuse before one can succeed. This is simply not the law. The Government is choosing to take an excessively narrow view of the O'Keeffe judgment.

The case is not statute barred as a result of anything that the defendants have done, but as a result of the State's actions over a period of years. The Council of Europe reported that the authorities "explain that they are taking a holistic and flexible approach when assessing the existence of a prior complaint which would include not only complaints". Is what the State is doing flexible and holistic? Does the Minister not agree that this abuse should be included in the scheme? I call on him to meet those who were abused.

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