John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

I agree with the calls for a debate on the report at the earliest opportunity. The report is harrowing and reflects certain aspects of Irish society dating back to the 1930s. There are 70 years of history in the report that is chilling and heartbreaking and on which we must act.

The reality is that in Ireland until recently there was a certain exemption in people's mind's eye for certain people in authority. Given such exemption, there was a mistaken and misappropriated belief that certain people, because of their position, were inherently going to do the right thing. Of course, that ignorant misapplication of authority has now proved to be the undoing of many a young life. I suggest the debate, whenever it takes place, should examine that misapplication of authority. In other words, we attributed a virtue to those who should have been following the Christian values when in fact they did not deserve it. That remarkable misapplication of trust is something for which any of those who crossed the line in such a severe manner can never be forgotten. It is all the worse because many of them were specifically in authority and claimed to follow the Christian virtues.

I recognise that it many not be possible to hold the debate today. I trust and hope that this will not be misrepresented in the media, as was the case with a previous debate that we refused. That is what occurred in respect of the debate on the Adoption Bill. We did not refuse; the Minister was not available on the day. However, it was misrepresented by a member of the Opposition and it was suggested that we did not want the Minister in the House, which was not true. We seek this debate at the earliest possible date.