Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister takes a different view on the Louise O'Keeffe case, but the view that I have expressed is shared by academics as well. In fact, my view is influenced by those academics and the authority they have. In some of these cases, there could not have been a prior complaint because some of the disgusting teachers who did this were straight out of college. In some cases, in some of the orders, they probably did not go to college. They went straight into schools to start abusing, so there could not have been a prior complaint. It simply was not possible. The reading of the Louise O'Keeffe judgment narrows that down and rules those people out completely, and in fact rules in some other students who were abused subsequently. There needs to be a fresh look at this legally. I urge the Minister to consult not only the Government's legal advisers, but to look at the academic material that exists and research that is being done. It is very serious stuff. I am not in any way being political about it. I am being passionate here because I feel that right is on the side of the case that I am making, and the overly legalistic approach does not serve the State well and I do not think it serves politics well.

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