Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We had a lengthy discussion on this last week with the Women of Honour group and other groups. We also consulted serving members of the Defence Forces, including serving women in the Defence Forces. I do not accept that the terms of reference are too narrow. We took on board some recommendations from various groups, including the Women of Honour group. We then agreed there would be further engagement and we received correspondence today from the legal representatives of the Women of Honour group. There will be further engagement. We have made clear that there will be further engagement, particularly with the Attorney General and the legal representatives of the Women of Honour group, in respect of clarifying some legal issues. It is our view that some of the issues raised by various groups are covered within the terms of reference.

I made the point to all of the groups, and Deputy Nash knows this and we have to be honest, that we are endeavouring to have an inquiry that is reasonably timely. I do not mean that it will be short but that we have had too many inquiries in the past that have simply gone on for far too long. This in itself causes challenges. Very often this is a subject of terms of reference and how we construct them. There is a balance to be struck between an effective and efficient inquiry that goes to the heart of the issues raised by the independent review group. The draft terms of reference we have tabled very much mirror and are based, although not completely, on recommendations from the independent review group. The nature of it is an issue on which we will come back to the groups.

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