Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Tánaiste for his reply on this extremely sensitive issue. The Women of Honour were clear when I spoke to them that when they, in turn, spoke to the Tánaiste around the terms of reference on 14 December, he said he would reflect on the matters they raised with him. It seems there is a clear breakdown in communication between his Department and the Women of Honour because they were certainly under the impression that he would be returning to them after a period of reflection and they fully expected to hear back from him. There is such a critical difference with regard to the Tánaiste's Department and the Women of Honour and it is not a good sign of things to come. It worries me that this shows a lack of respect and the old cultural view and the "we know better" way of doing things over people's heads. The Women of Honour were especially concerned around the proposed use of the wording "complaints of abuse" as opposed to what they saw as being "instances of abuse". They were certainly under the impression that negotiations with the Tánaiste had not concluded, so I will ask again whether he felt that negotiations had concluded.

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