Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for making the effort to give me a straight answer. I have great difficulty, however, in believing in this process. I see no sign in the replies to me that today was the due date for the publication of the summary report. It simply did not occur to anyone doing the replies on the Minister’s behalf to tell me that date is today. That raises serious questions in my mind about trust.

I believe it was leaked for a purpose. I can only surmise that someone felt this report was never going to be published and then took it upon themselves to leak it. That is deeply troubling if that is what happened. I do not want to believe that narrative but, when I look back, I see nothing else. That a report on this matter should be leaked is unacceptable. Has Tusla carried out a review into the leak? It is extraordinary, given that it was carrying out a review into its behaviour and handling of this issue.

Why was it not brought back in? If today was the day, was the Minister going to bring it back in before the Government and before us in the Dáil in order that we could discuss it? Considering what happened in this case, it was set up in 2016 and three years later we get a leaked report. It goes back to heinous abuse.

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