Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

The Government has spent years trying to convince religious orders to contribute to redress for the survivors of mother and baby homes. These efforts started in January 2021 when the then Minister, Roderic O'Gorman, first wrote to the orders saying they may wish to consider making a financial contribution to redress costs. His begging letters were ignored. In May 2023, the Government appointed former trade union official Sheila Nunan to negotiate with the orders. She was told to come back with a best and final offer from the orders within six months. Nearly two years later, Ms Nunan has filed her final report. It states that just one order has made a serious offer of cash to pay redress.

Going cap in hand to religious orders was not a successful strategy. This is hardly surprising in view of the fact that we know these orders would much prefer to pay their armies of lawyers than the women and children they tortured and abused. These orders own assets worth hundreds of millions. For decades in Ireland, unimaginable horrors were perpetrated in mother and baby homes. The infant mortality rate in these institutions was five times the national average. There were thousands of unexplained infants deaths, missing children and multiple mass unmarked graves. Women and children were subjected to incarceration, forced labour, vaccine trials and horrific physical and sexual abuse. Families were ripped apart, there were forced adoptions and children were boarded out to act as indentured servants. There has never been any accountability for any of these crimes. Religious orders that made millions on the back of enslaving women and children are walking away without paying a penny because the Government is allowing them to run rings around it. We have report after report documenting the crimes of these orders, not just in mother and baby homes but also in religious-run schools. When will the State finally flex some legal muscle when it comes to these religious orders? Why are these orders not raided by the Garda? Why are their assets not seized? It is unbelievable that the approach of successive Governments to these orders, which operated as criminal networks, is to roll over. What will it take for the State to finally act and go after these orders with more than a begging bowl?

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