Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I note the Government's decision regarding the Magdalene laundries and I welcome this speedy decision to at least establish this group to report within three months. It is vitally important that an independent chairperson be appointed to this group and that there will be a follow-up to the recommendations it is to be hoped will arise therefrom. I also welcome the decision by the relevant orders of sisters to co-operate with this committee and note the Justice for Magdalenes group has welcomed the Government's decision. In the circumstances a speedy resolution is important.

However, I remind Members the Minister already has made up his mind in this regard as he has stated there is "irrefutable evidence that this State and the courts colluded in sending young women to what were then known as the Magdalene asylums". The Minister should provide evidence and facts to back up the statements he made in the Dáil on 17 December 2009 because the information I have to hand suggests he already has made up his mind. He stated then there is "irrefutable evidence as a consequence of court records and files that have been examined in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform" but he has not confirmed that in his actual statement.