Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)

I do not think anyone is going to stand up and say they are not happy or relieved, if those are the right terms, at the establishment of the commission of investigation into the handling of historical child sexual abuse in day and boarding schools. Sometimes when you say it quickly, you do not get the full ramifications of what we are talking about.

We know there have been huge failures in relation to children, women and a whole cohort of people. We know the issues people have had in fighting the State and how the State has fought back when it should not have. We should have had accountability and transparency, and those needs should have been addressed. We acknowledge that even late, it is better that this finally happens.

We know we still must deal with issues such as those who suffered the brutal abuse of Michael Shine. We know how long it took those women who suffered symphysiotomy to get an element of justice. I agree with many other Deputies that when we talk about mother and baby homes and all the rest of it, and when we talk about the number of religious orders and their history of abuse, there has been abject failure to hold them properly to account. I agree with what many others have said. It is not good enough. We must ensure that legal technicalities are not good enough. We can see what the Christian Brothers and others have done to try to protect themselves when they failed miserably to protect children. There is no greater sin.

We welcome that this is happening. As I say, it is not before time. We must ensure the commission deals with all the cases it should. We need to look at issues in respect of those who suffered physical abuse. I previously brought up an issue with the Minister, Deputy Foley, and, in fairness to her, there has been some decent engagement.

It related to a man who, when he was eight, in 1970, in Dublin, suffered brutal physical and sexual abuse. It is only when you deal with this that you realise just how real and how terrible it all is. We need to deal with what has been an absolutely brutal legacy in this State. There are other issues - unfortunately, there always will be - but we need to deliver justice for people a lot quicker.

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