Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I hope I am not misquoting the Minister when I say that he said that Ms Moynihan feels she was treated badly. I believe there is not a person in Ireland who thinks that she was treated in any way other than badly. It is certainly not acceptable by our standards today. I have said before that it is important for Members of this House to check our privilege on occasion, not the privilege of being here and elected to this great House, but of being born healthy and able-bodied to parents who either raised us themselves or gave us the opportunity to be raised by others. Majella Moynihan is a prime example of somebody who was victimised in our society. She had nobody to look out for her and the people in charge knew that. She was hung out for people to see what might happen to them if they behaved in a certain way.

We had a great moment in this country a year ago when eighth amendment was repealed but anybody in this House who thinks that happened in isolation and did not have repercussions and ramifications throughout the society which spawned it is wrong. We had a great moment here last year but what happened to Majella Moynihan symbolises all that was wrong with the church and State, with, in this case, Garda involvement. We cannot put a black mark over our history and block it out because it feeds our future. It is only by examining it that we can identify the true knock-on effects of certain behaviours on society today.

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