Johnny Mythen (Wexford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The facts have been laid bare of the scandal of the mother and baby homes. The survivors had to fight every inch to even be heard, let alone be recognised. Now they face another botched scheme. No disrespect is intended. It was designed, no doubt, by people who never had anyone belonging to them in these institutions or who knew anyone who endured the hardships they suffered. It is in this context that the people of Ireland are outraged at the latest attempt to bring forward a very flawed and diluted mother and baby institution payment scheme. It is a scheme that will prevent hundreds of survivors from obtaining enhanced medical cards because the period spent in the institution was less than six months. It is a scheme which to all intents created a hierarchy of suffering and pain, differentiating and categorising each survivor as though one person's pain and suffering was not the same as anyone who stepped over those notorious thresholds. It is a scheme which excluded innocent children, especially those who were boarded out and those who spent less than six months in these cold, oppressive and callous institutions, which represents about 6% in total. The scheme must be redesigned. We, as a nation, must do far more for the survivors of these oppressive, inhumane institutions who treated mothers and babies like chattel. We call on the Government to listen to the ordinary decent people who want this sorted out in the dignified and honourable way.

Speaking of honour, it would be remiss of us not to mention Catherine Corless and her relentless fortitude in her search for justice for the babies and mothers who perished in Tuam. The Taoiseach, in his apology, said the shame is not theirs but ours. It was our shame that we did not show them the respect and compassion that we as a country owe them. Then let us do exactly that and rethink and redesign the scheme for the memory of all the lost babies and all the survivors of the mother and baby homes. Let us do this in the spirit of a nation that really cares and cherishes all the children of the nation equally.

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