James Heffernan (Labour)

I welcome the Minister and thank him for doing such important work in this regard. I welcome the fact that he will continue to pursue a 50:50 scheme and that he has committed himself wholeheartedly to doing so. I hope that he gets the same commitment from the religious orders. We do not seem to have got that up to now but I am sure that pressure will come to bear on them.

I wish to read a few quotes from the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse into the record, particularly chapter 8 which deals with the Letterfrack Industrial School, County Galway. It stated: "Corporal punishment in Letterfrack was severe, excessive, pervasive and created a climate of fear," a fear that we cannot begin to imagine. The name "Letterfrack" strikes terror into the hearts of many people. Further in chapter 8 it stated: "Sexual abuse by Brothers was a chronic problem in Letterfrack." Well known abusers were sent to Letterfrack which was found to be "an act of reckless disregard", especially in a place so remote and isolated. Abuse of unimaginable terror went on in industrial schools around the country and, as a primary schoolteacher, I cannot even begin to imagine that terror. I welcome some of the victims and survivors here today and their testimony speaks for itself. Last summer I visited Letterfrack when I was on my honeymoon.