Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I suppose I should not preface my remarks by saying I am glad to have an opportunity to speak on this report because it is my wish that there was no such appalling situation to comment on. So be it, we must deal with the report this afternoon.

I listened with interest to the previous speaker. I recall being in the Chair for Senator Feeney's contribution on the Ryan report, on which occasion she made an equally sincere and emotive presentation. Senator Feeney has struck a fair balance in her presentation today. I would summarise this report as Ireland's dark night of the soul. It is a report which challenges us to acknowledge who and what we are as a society and people. The report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin is to a degree almost an extension of the Ryan report. We are now dealing with a society wherein, apparently, abuse of young children and young adults by men of the cloth and collar was widespread and endemic to a frightening degree. Obviously, as has been and must be stated by all speakers our first thoughts must be with the victims, some of whom have unfortunately passed away, some the victims of suicide. To the remaining victims, including those not yet classified, we must offer more than words of consolation. We must offer them every possible support, including financial and emotional support, and must above all put in place a structure and system of authority and regulation which will assure them that what was imposed upon them, the abuse and suffering they experienced, will never again be experienced by another generation of Irish children. The greatest monument to current and past victims would be an absolute assurance that this will not be permitted to happen again. The victims must be to the forefront of our concern.

We must also recognise that the Irish Catholic laity, of which there are hundreds of thousands, are deeply upset and disturbed by this report. Very few countries across the globe, with the exception of a few countries in South America, have the same connect between church and State as has Ireland. While for generations there has been a unique relationship between families and priests in this State, certainties have been removed and doubt has been cast resulting in great suffering among ordinary Catholics. What they have read and know to be true is deeply and profoundly upsetting. We must empathise with those people who feel like the rug has been pulled from under them and who are genuinely upset for their church. The church is the people not priests, bishops or the Pope and the vast majority of people here who have read this report are gravely upset at what transpired.

We must also recognise the upset caused to the vast majority of clergy across the country, including priests and nuns, who have committed themselves to full Christian living in its broadest and finest tradition. They are gravely pained by the fact that many of their clerical colleagues were engaged in the shocking abuse of children. It is important to officially recognise that the vast majority of clergy here, not just at present but through the generations, have done their job professionally and openly. They, too, are very wounded by this report and the behaviour of their colleagues.

Where do we go from here? There have been numerous calls for the bishops who were found wanting in carrying out their duties and who failed to investigate and report to do the necessary and honourable thing of resigning their posts. It probably will not make a huge difference to victims at this stage but it would be an indication that lessons are being learned. If resignation of a bishop or bishops would help in that regard that must happen. Straws in the wind appear to suggest that some of the Catholic bishops will resign. The business of the Catholic Church is its affair. It is not an establishment church whereby bishops are appointed by the parliament. We neither hire nor fire, and we cannot force a bishop to resign his position. However, such a resignation would be a positive and strong signal and a tiny step in the right direction, and, perhaps, a small building block for the future. We will await developments.

The broader questions we must face are about where society goes from here, how it plans for the future and the position of the great debate about church and State. This country's people come from a tradition of great deference, not just to the church but to the State, schools and all forms of authority. Generations of Irish people have written verse and sung songs about being downtrodden by the British, but we really are downtrodden by ourselves. We have always deferred to authority in a way that is quite unique among western European nations. It is time for Irish people as a society to lose the chains of deference and walk a little taller. That would be a positive step in trying to create a new relationship between church and State.

I was reading through the Constitution last night in preparation for a debate in the House on the Criminal Procedure Bill. The Constitution was carried in 1937 by approximately 685,000 votes to 526,000. It is supposed to contain the guidelines for how we live as a society, with rules and regulations to ensure that neither rank nor collar will put anybody above the law. Are we attempting to build a new republic and new society in which everybody has their role and appropriate place of influence? There have been many issues with the Irish Constitution; there have been many amendments to it and more are projected for the future. It would be helpful if the Minister and his colleagues commenced preparation for a new constitution. The 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising is only seven years away. As a maturing republic, perhaps we need a new constitution in which we can clearly outline our priorities and the parameters of law and behaviour.

We regularly speak about the need to rebalance the relationship between church and State and the need to examine the education sector, in terms of its ownership and direction. In the course of a debate on a new constitution we could deal with these matters in a sensitive and inclusive fashion. The issue of church control of education has been centre stage in national debate. It was understandable that in the immediate aftermath of publication of the Murphy report there was great demand that church control of education be ended and that the system of patronage be amended. We must move carefully and cautiously. The vast majority of people here would still prefer their children to be educated in Catholic schools or within the Catholic ethos. A balance must try to ensure that such a possibility still exists while, on the other hand, the ownership, control or direction of the educational sphere be more democratic and Department-led. When shocking reports such as this are produced there is always a great danger of throwing the baby out with the bath water. We must be cautious in planning for the future. For that reason I favour slightly longer-term planning for Ireland as a society via reflection on the need for some major constitutional initiatives, probably leading to a new constitution.

I thank the Minister for attending this debate and, most importantly, Judge Murphy, her officials and staff for presenting us with this appalling vista, as it must be described. Hopefully, however, it is a document from which Irish society will learn huge lessons. Inevitably, over the course of forthcoming months and years reports will be produced on sadly similar behaviour in other dioceses. It is necessary for society that all this is brought out into the open in a transparent fashion. Hopefully, it will assist the beginning of the healing process.

My words are very inadequate, as all words will be under the circumstances. Our thoughts must be with the victims and our thanks go to those courageous people who led the campaign to highlight the plight of victims. We must now move beyond word to deed. Major changes are required across all strata of Irish society to bring help and healing to a generation who lost their youth and in some cases, sadly, their lives. If we are to make a difference, we must plan ahead. We will revert to this report again. Hopefully, we will learn from it and bring healing to the thousands of victims, seen and unseen, heard and unheard.