Mary Moran (Labour)

I echo the sentiments raised today by Senator Hayden. As a schoolteacher, I was absolutely shocked that, as the Senator remarked, this could happen in 2009. Above all, it is the duty of Members to ensure that all children, regardless of colour, creed or circumstance, should be entitled to their education. I pay tribute to the student in question and to her family who, according to all media reports, were highly supportive of her. I pay tribute to the student, who highlighted her position and who did not give up but kept going. An important part of this affair is that she continued to pursue her right to education.

On another issue, I again wish to raise the concerns of the Dignity 4 Patients group, a patient abuse survivors group from the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. I have raised this matter continually and I reiterate that, to date, the group has not received a positive outcome from their years of campaigning for justice. I call on the Leader to bring this matter to the attention of the Minister for Health in order that he honour the commitment he made in the Dáil in 2009, when he called for an inquiry into this matter. I stress the current delay and handling of this issue is adding to the immense suffering and is causing unnecessary anxiety to all the victims.