Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change) | Oireachtas source

First, I wish to put on the record of the House that I agree a general election should be called now. The main question I wish to put to the Taoiseach, though, is on behalf of a group of men who as children were sexually abused in day schools by Christian Brothers. All the perpetrators were subsequently convicted. Sexual abuse is all about power and control. In the Taoiseach's 2019 apology to children abused in day schools, he referred to the State having failed them at the time and failed then again when it did not own up to its responsibility. He then said, "We will not fail them a third time". In May 2023, the CEO of Louth County Council, against the wishes of the then chair of the council, withdrew a motion rescinding the freedom of Drogheda from Edmund Garvey. The actions by the CEO were a devastating blow to the survivors. A State body had let them down, with no accountability regarding the actions of the CEO forthcoming from the council or the relevant Minister of State. As far as these survivors were concerned, this was just another example of power and control being misused against them.

See this speech in context