Aideen Hayden (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Leader to accede to the Senator's call.

I also support Senator Naughton's request for a debate on the unfortunate situation in Tuam and the discovery of the bodies of dead children in a septic tank. I read about this matter on the weekend before last but I did not grasp the full implications of what was involved.

I had some idea that this had happened during the time of the Famine. It was only when I spoke to Senator Naughton after she raised it last week that I realised the true horror of what had happened. These children died during the 1930s, within the memory of people living today. I take this opportunity to reiterate a call I made previously. We need to establish a permanent body to inquire into all issues of institutional abuse. I sincerely believe that the issue still to come before us is what happened in the county homes. It is time we faced up to the fact that this situation is far from over, and we need a permanent inquiry to be established.