Marie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I, too, welcome the talks that are taking place between the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste and Justice for Magdelenes. It seems that it is women and children who suffer at the hands of the institutions in this country. For example, the victims of symphysiotomy are still waiting for their report and the Magdelene laundry sufferers are awaiting an apology. That apology is inevitable. No doubt we will give one and I cannot see why we are putting it off.

The reason I rose to speak was similar to that of Senator van Turnhout. It is nearly two months since the budget debate during which the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, told us that she had in her possession the report from the advisory group on taxation and social welfare, chaired by Ms Ita Mangan, and that she would lay it before this House in the first instance for debate and discussion before she would take it anywhere else. I ask the Acting Leader if the matter is on the schedule, if the Minister has given an indication as to when she will present it to the House, and if it is not on the schedule, if the Acting Leader could ask the Minister at her earliest convenience to bring it before the House so as not to have a repeat of last year's budget process where Senators had no time to discuss matters. Let us discuss the report and see what recommendations are in it.