Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)

I dtosach báire, ba mhaith liom tacú leis an rún thar cheann Sinn Féin. Is é an tuairim atá againn ná gurb iad na daoine a déanadh an docair seo dóibh na daoine is tábhachtaí maidir leis an díospóireacht seo. An dualgas atá againn ná deimhniú go bhfuil gach tacaíocht agus gach cúnamh le fáil dóibh ón Stáit agus ón eaglais chun cabhrú leo. Is lá maith é, ar bhealach, go bhfuil an tuarascáil curtha amach ach is lá deacair é do na daoine sin.

The report is a damning indictment of the hierarchy, but also asks very serious questions of the State. We need to ensure that every help and support that should be given is given to the people who suffered at the hands of priests and anybody who suffered any form of child abuse. The State has neglected its duties by failing to put in place mandatory reporting requirements and I welcome the moves being taken by the Government to put them in place. However, this raises the issue of putting in place the resources required. In recent years, social workers have been grossly under-resourced. There is no point in having a wide and robust debate if the Government will not put in place the resources required so we do not see people who have suffered abuse of any type not having resources available to them. The most important issue is that they are helped.

I wish to raise an issue that has not been discussed in the debate so far. Last December, the Executive in the Six Counties announced the establishment of an inquiry into historic institutional abuse in the North. A cross-departmental working group was established to examine how an inquiry would proceed and it reported to the Executive almost a fortnight ago. A number of the 26 Catholic Church dioceses across the Border are being examined, including Raphoe, Derry, Clogher and Armagh. It would be useful to co-ordinate with the initiative under way in the Six Counties with regard to future inquiries. It would also be of benefit to members of the Northern Executive to learn about our experience in the Dáil and the experience of victims' groups and civil society.