Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister said that the protections that exist in the law today would not allow the events to happen to Majella Moynihan if they occurred today. However, we must remember that back in 1984 she had a constitutional right of equality and that was infringed back in 1984. She was discriminated against on the grounds of her gender and on the grounds of her marital status. I know that statutory provisions in respect of those equalities were introduced much later than that, but she had a constitutional right to equality back in 1984. That is the reason I say to the Minister that the State has a liability in respect of this woman. I hope that we are not now going to force or permit her to have to go to court in order to try to vindicate a liability that exists on the part of the State and to vindicate her rights. I ask the Minister to intervene. I welcome the fact that he is going to meet Ms Moynihan. I also welcome the fact that he has apologised to her. I know that he will apologise to her in person on behalf of the State. As I said to the Minister, he is different from other people; he has power and he is a representative of the justice Ministry in this country. When he meets Ms Moynihan I ask that he would come up with some practical and real proposals that will have the effect of not forcing this woman to have to initiate court proceedings.

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