Jimmy Harte (Labour)

I welcome the Minister for Justice and Equality and I thank the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Fitzgerald, for taking the time to attend.

Child abuse is physical and psychological terrorism. "Terrorism" rather than "abuse" is the word we should be using. Given that these children were terrorised, I agree with the Leader that the word "deplorable" is not strong enough. No one could find a word in any language that would be strong enough to describe just how these children were terrorised.

Like Senator Crown, I attended a Catholic school and was educated by priests in Letterkenny. I was also an altar boy. My experience was positive, but the one in four who did not have that privilege suffered at the hands of the church. I am from the diocese of Raphoe and I suspect the next report on it will be much the same as the Cloyne report. Many people in the north west are concerned about it.

The Patrick MacGill school is under way this week in Glenties. Anyone who has read The Children of the Dead End knows what the Catholic Church got up to 100 years ago when children were dying in houses while priests called around to collect money for churches and their own homes. That was terrorism of the family, but this report shows terrorism of the child.

Were Jesus Christ on Earth today, He would do as He did in the temple - He would go to the Vatican and kick over the tables. He would be on the side of the children, not the church.