Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In many ways, it is ironic that it is not long since the children's referendum which placed a constitutional obligation on the State to protect children. When the State or a person fails in its or his or her duty, it or he or she should apologise. When the Minister for Justice and Equality was in opposition, he described the State as being directly responsible for barbaric cruelty yet in a position of responsibility in government, he rode back from all he had said. The Taoiseach rightly rebuked the Vatican when it failed the children of this country by refusing to fully participate in tribunals of inquiry and investigations into what the Church had done. However, when the State, for which he is responsible, is found to have been responsible for incarcerating women in the most cruel of circumstances, described by his Minister for Justice and Equality in opposition as barbaric, the Taoiseach is not able to apologise fully.