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

I wish to extend my sympathy following the appalling tragedy in Clondalkin last evening in which a young woman and two children perished in a terrible fire. I understand it was a women's refuge in which the woman died. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were injured and are in critical condition in hospital.

I wish to raise the treatment of Grace and all those who were in the foster home in Waterford, which has shocked the nation. The horrific circumstances are well outlined in the Dignam report. Many people find it difficult to comprehend that such cruelty could be meted out, particularly to young children with special needs, and that the health professionals could place Grace and others in such a foster home initially and subsequently, having discovered injuries and so forth, return Grace to that foster home. I accept the good intentions of the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Finian McGrath, in wanting this investigated and I welcome the establishment of a commission of investigation. The motion has now been withdrawn and that gives us an opportunity to deal with some of the outstanding issues.

I met with two of the whistleblowers last evening. They are genuinely concerned about the terms of reference and the lack of coverage, given that other cases will not be covered by this inquiry. If one reads the precise language in the original motion there appears to be an intention to hold a further inquiry to deal with those, and the Minister of State was adamant that the other cases would be dealt with. However, it must be explicit in the terms of reference that are brought before the House again that the other cases will be covered. In addition, it has also emerged that, with regard to the suppression of information or the alleged cover-up, for some unknown reason the terms of reference include a timeframe from 2009 to 2016. Conor Dignam's recommendation is that the issue of suppression or alleged suppression of information, essentially any cover-up, should date from 1996 to 2016. There is no explanation for the variation between the Dignam recommendation and the terms of reference of the commission of investigation. I ask the Taoiseach to examine that and to bring the date back to 1996.

Third, the Dignam report recommends that all matters contained in the protected disclosures should be included in the inquiry, as well as the treatment of those who made the protected disclosures. There are issues in that regard and there should be an indent in the inquiry covering the treatment of those who made the protected disclosures. The overarching issue is that others who were in those homes would be included.

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