Averil Power (Fianna Fail)

I welcome that because the report I read quoted only two of them as stating they would attend and that the others had not replied. I welcome that because there is no doubt that society in general, and also people who are religious, believe it is a disgrace that it has taken so long for the institutions to put up their hands, so to speak. The Government published reports on their assets and, therefore, there is no reason for them to do anything but come forward and do the right thing at this stage.

On the legislation before the House, first, I welcome the fact that the Minister will run advertisements in the remaining few weeks before it concludes. I am sure he will also take advantage of the networks the different advocacy groups have across the world that have been working for victims and try to get them to disseminate the information. I am sure that is something on which the Department is working.

Second, on the point Deputy Smith raised in the Dáil debate on behalf of Fianna Fáil, we accept there is a need for a general deadline but we propose that when that legislation is being brought forward, the Minister might consider whether it would be appropriate to include some provision whereby in very exceptional circumstances people might be able to get redress. I am formally restating that proposal.

Third, I am aware that concerns have been expressed by some about the records of the board. Some of the cases were horrendous and it would be important to ensure that the records are disposed of in a confidential way.

We must ensure in the future that the highest standards of child protection operate across every institution, be they people charged with the care of children in a residential sense such as that covered by the Residential Institutions Redress Board but also anybody who has access to children. I agree with the call for children to be educated about being safe. The Minister might correct me if I am wrong but the Stay Safe programme is now being operated by all schools. I am aware there was a gap in that regard, although I never understood the reason some schools and boards of management would refuse to make children aware of basic measures to keep them safe. If some are not operating the programme, I would support naming and shaming those schools and letting their communities come forward in that regard because the programme is acceptable to approximately 98% of schools throughout the country. It is important for children to know how to defend themselves and identify whether an approach is inappropriate.

With regard to vetting, much work has been done in recent years in ensuring that people are properly vetted. Deputy Simon Harris from Fine Gael raised the issue today. The diocese has overall responsibility but I understand that whether it is a youth group or organisation that group or organisation is responsible for making sure their members are vetted and putting in the applications to the vetting board.

Deputy Harris raised the question as to whether any priests have refused to be vetted. I would like to know that also because in terms of the residential institutions we are talking about relatively distant abuse in most cases but the Cloyne report was frighteningly up to date. The same applies to the Ryan report and other reports about more recent abuse throughout the country. We must be sure that anybody who has access to children is being vetted and does not have a way of escaping the net in that respect.

The Cloyne report provides an account of what happened in one area, and we have had reports about other dioceses, but there is a need to listen to the stories from people throughout the country. When one considers the extent of the abuse revealed in both the Cloyne and the Ryan reports, it is obvious that serious incidents of abuse were taking place. There are stories to be told by people living in other areas of the country. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, was reported as saying she would not rule out having a widespread inquiry to establish what happened in other areas of the country. I hope that is something the Government will examine.