Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I also thank the Social Democrats for bringing this motion before the House. In chapter 10 of the commission’s report, which deals with county homes, there is a reference to an inspection report from 1952 which noted that 20 of the 34 children in the Kildare county home were members of families admitted because of a failure to procure accommodation or other temporary cessation of home life. Almost 70 years later, we have many more children spread throughout the county and the country who are in emergency accommodation because of the failure of successive Governments to build public homes on public land.

We are overly reliant on private landlords to solve our housing crisis, with a housing assistance payment system that is clearly not fit for purpose. Families in Kildare who are fleeing domestic violence are being temporarily accommodated in County Louth because of a lack of capacity in Kildare. I have no doubt future Governments will be apologising to these children if we do not make a real effort to improve their situation.

I welcome the fact that the mayor and chief executive of Kildare County Council earlier this week apologised for the council’s role in this sad and sorry story. Last week I spoke to a man whose family had been sentenced - they were sentenced - to a spell in an industrial school. Their crime was that their mother died when he was three years of age and his father was a working man. He was found in the care of his oldest sister by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children - he called them the cruelty people. To this day he presumes that he still has a criminal record. Why would he have a criminal record? Is it because his mother died? He was one of the lucky ones. His aunt was able take him home after she discovered him with two black eyes during a visit. His sister was not so lucky, unfortunately, and spent her childhood in an industrial school. After a short spell of freedom, she spent the rest of her days in various psychiatric institutions. While in the care of the State, she had a number of children despite not having the capacity to consent to sex. We need an inquiry into the care of people in these institutions. Her family needs answers, and I am looking for answers in respect of this case.

The Minister stated that he understands people are angry. I do not think he understands how angry they are.

See this speech in context