Mary Henry (Independent)

Like everyone else, I was appalled by what I read in this report. I compliment those who wrote it and those with the courage to come forward with their complaints. One of the worst aspects of the report was that some complainants thought the abuse they suffered was part of church ritual. In one case, a child who was being prepared for first holy communion, a sacrament common to all the Christian churches, thought it was part of the sacrament.

We can do something immediately. I am delighted Senators O'Toole and Ryan complimented the Leader on her role in bringing forward the Stay Safe programme. I regularly ask the Department of Education and Science if that programme is implemented in all schools. The most recent reply indicated that it was implemented in between 70% and 80% of schools. Is the Leader in a position to ask the Department to order all schools to bring forward this programme?