Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Guím gach rath ar an Taoiseach leis an gcéad chéim eile ina thuras saoil. In ainneoin nach n-aontaím leis formhór an ama, thaitin sé go mór liom i gcónaí go raibh sé díreach gonta lena chuid freagraí.

Baineann an cheist atá agam inniu leis an scéim chúitimh a fógraíodh inniu do dhaoine a chaith tréimhsí in institiúidí máithreachais agus leanaí. My question today to the Taoiseach relates to the compensation scheme announced today for the people who spent time in mother and baby institutions.

I use the word "institutions" because they certainly were not homes. Almost ten years later, the Taoiseach's Government and his Minister have utterly failed to bring in a scheme that is fair and just.

Back in 2014, it was announced that there would be a commission of investigation. Enda Kenny at the time, on 10 June, said:

This is an issue for Ireland because if it is not handled properly, in many ways, Ireland's soul will lie, like the babies of so many mothers, in an unmarked grave. It is important that we ... get this right.

Almost ten years later, we have made an utter mess out of it. That mess started with the commission of investigation, the failure to give the report to the survivors, the fact that it was leaked, the fact that they were told to download it and so on. The commission itself says the evidence of survivors was contaminated. Ten years later, and a year after we said we would bring in a scheme, we bring in a scheme that is exclusionary. It excludes all babies; all people who spent less than six months in these institutions. It is restrictive in every way possible. It is based on business and cost and has absolutely nothing to do with justice or what is right. If I were to give out to the Taoiseach and criticise him today, it would be for his policies. Over and over, he has been out of touch completely with the people on the ground - on this issue, the referendums, water and any number of other issues. This particular one upsets me on every level, personally and professionally, because the Government has utterly failed to learn. This was the chance to learn to do the scheme right. The Government messed up with Caranua, it messed up with the Magdalen redress scheme, which the High Court judge said was maladministered, and it is doing the exact same all over again. There are I cannot remember how many pages in the application form. The Government is insisting, for example, that people have photo ID. When they ring up to ask about that, they are told there is no way out of it. Even on that little issue, there is no humanity and no flexibility. The Government talks about a waiver. Nowhere is it explained in the application form what the waiver means.

Ten years later, with all that experience, it is simply unforgivable that the Government would persist today with a scheme that is unjust and unfair when it has the opportunity to correct it. The Government is in negotiations with the religious orders. The Taoiseach might give an update on that and confirm that when the Government has that completed, that money will be used to have a scheme that is inclusive of all and based on fairness and justice.

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