Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

We are discussing this matter in the context of the appalling revelations about a family in Roscommon where there was abuse and neglect over many years and the children were not protected. I imagine this report will shed light on a very dark corner of our history. More than 1,000 victims of abuse have been interviewed by the commission. Obviously we support the extension of the commission's work and it being given the opportunity to report fully and comprehensively on what it has found during its investigation. No doubt many lessons will be learnt from the commission as its report comes into the public arena and at the same time the report into abuse in the Dublin diocese comes into the arena along with other recent findings. Today I again looked at the Kelly Fitzgerald report, published in 1996, from which we should have learnt many lessons. Clearly we have not learnt from that case or from the Kilkenny incest case.

I wish to make a number of brief points about the commission. A very important social history will emerge in the coming months when it publishes its report. It is very important that what the commission has learnt through its investigations is brought to the light of day in full. The Minister of State talked about the records being preserved. It is very important that as much information as possible comes from the report so that we can understand the full extent of what happened to allow us to ensure it does not happen again. That needs to be the key lesson to be learnt from the report. We need to implement its recommendations.

Some €79 million in costs have been incurred, much of it in legal costs. The State needs to learn to investigate without incurring such costs.