Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Section 4(1)(a) allows the commission to inquire into the manner in which children were placed in institutions. The vast majority of children were placed in institutions by the courts. The section allows the commission to inquire into the system — the courts and the Judiciary — but not to look at individual judges. I appreciate fully what the Senators are trying to achieve but we are satisfied that we can achieve it without compromising the independence or constitutional position of the Judiciary as a separate entity.