Don Lydon (Fianna Fail)

We recently had a good and reasoned debate on the Ferns Report and the issue of child sexual abuse by priests. I now call for the debate to be extended to cover the wider issue of child sexual abuse. Every day in Ireland, young children are being sexually and physically abused. While I am not sure what we can do in this regard, at the least we should discuss the issue and make proposals.

One of the most important points concerning the case ruled upon yesterday was not the verdict but the fact that the person incarcerated and charged was able to access the Supreme Court and make his case. That is a good sign of a democracy, given that he could not have done so in many parts of the world.