Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also wish to be associated with the expressions of sympathy to the family of Martin McGuinness. He did a great deal of good for many people. I was glad to have met him again recently. It seems like it was only the other day that he attended a meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts. He came across the hallway, shook hands with me, smiled and congratulated me on getting elected and becoming a Member of Dáil Éireann.

Regarding the matter under discussion, every man and woman is outraged about what has been made known about Tuam and what happened to so many small babies in that mother and baby home as well as other homes, institutions and laundries throughout the country. People want to know what happened. Were these children starved? How were they treated when they got sick? If they had something that was contagious, were they kept away from the rest of the children? The good, honest people want to know whether anyone can be brought to account for the wrongs that were done to so many children and young women.

Deputies should not be haggling over which amendment to support. The Garda has a role to play in getting to the truth to ensure everything about what happened to the victims is made clear and, if possible, all the survivors are compensated properly.

This is a sad saga in our history. It was considered shameful for an unmarried girl to become pregnant, requiring her to disappear from view locally into what was known as a mother and baby home or an industrial school. All Deputies should ensure the Garda is doing what it should do, that is, investigate and bring people to account where possible. We must work together to ensure all those who were wronged in these homes and institutions and are still alive get some form of redress or compensation.

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