Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

I, too, rise in support of other Senators who have called for a debate on the Ferns report on which I congratulate Mr. Justice Murphy. I seldom disagree with Senator O'Toole. While there is merit in delaying the debate, we also need to strike while the iron is hot. We did not need the Ferns report to tell us that there was child abuse going on but the severity and the type of material in it has stunned us all. We must move now while it is in the forefront of everybody's minds.

Sadly, the diocese of Ferns has been described as the worst diocese in the world. One need look only at the front page of the Irish Examiner this morning to know just how shocking a situation this is. I heard commentators on the radio this morning stating this could be the tip of the iceberg. There may be other dioceses like Ferns.