Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I hesitate to say it but the Minister has added to the abuse of the survivors and what they have suffered. There was no reason for the delay in the report. The Minister has given no proper reason for its delay. It should have been published last September.

Last Friday, the Minister attended a meeting at which she was not asked about redress. She was asked to give a report on the work of the commission and why there was a delay. Pressure was put on the Minister to publish a report and to give maximum information. We asked the Minister whether she knew about briefing documents at the highest level. We asked factual questions relating to the site in Tuam being a crime scene.

The Minister has come back and talked about waffly consultation. We do not know where it will start or who the stakeholders are. The Minister is not giving us a date for the scoping exercise to extend the terms of reference. The Minister has put in transitional justice that no one has sought. The Minister is talking about Caranua version two when Caranua itself is in serious trouble. Reference has been made to the most appalling distinction between accompanied mother and unaccompanied mothers. Shame on this Government.

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