Jimmy Harte (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Once again, I am amazed the Fianna Fáil Party is asking for the Minister to come in and talk about the Magdalen laundries. I would rather propose that Deputy Micheál Martin come to the Chamber and explain to the nation why he did nothing for 14 years in this regard. This was reflected by a representative of the Magdalen laundries, Sally Mulready, who said Micheál Martin should hang his head in shame for the lack of action taken by him when in government. Many of these women are now elderly, but at no stage during the last Administration were they given any hope. They were shunned by it. Therefore, for Deputy Martin to ask for an apology from the Government smacks of where the Fianna Fáil Party has got itself in the opinion polls. Anything Fianna Fáil says now is based on an opinion poll, not on the welfare of the women.