Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)

I echo Deputy Connolly's comments in respect of the previous redress schemes and this one. I think our party is going to find it difficult to support it as well.

I wish to make one final point about exclusion, to which Deputy Connolly referred. I believe it is unfair to limit this legislation’s healthcare provision to people who have already received a payment under the residential institutions redress scheme in the past. This discriminates against an already doubly marginalised group, those who could not or did not apply in the past for a payment. The deadline for applying to the redress board was short and many did not realise they were entitled. We know the process was horrendously intrusive and distressing, and it may be that some people chose not to apply precisely because of the health impact of doing so. I feel it is unjust in the extreme to exclude them now from these very limited health measures. It is beyond debate that the industrial and reformatory school systems were abusive per se. It should not be necessary for someone to have demonstrated anything about their particular experience under examination by the redress board in order to qualify for health supports under this legislation.

See this speech in context