Mary Henry (Independent)

It is very hard to understand why people should be criminalised for disclosing that they were abused. I support this amendment because from what one reads in the newspapers and hears victims who have been before the redress board say, people would like to be able to say they were justified in making their complaint and that the State recognises this and has done something to try to give them some recompense. It is difficult to understand why another shameful secret should be made of this procedure. It was put to me in the case of the original abuse that sometimes people were given sweets or money to shut up. For them, to give them a few euro to keep quiet is the same thing happening again. It is important that the amendment be accepted.