Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Obviously, my previous comments have been misconstrued by Senators. I do not want anybody who has gone through this lifetime abuse, if one wants to call it that, to have that situation compounded by misinformation. I sat through the debates in the Dáil, sitting beside officials and listening to contributions from people who clearly had not read a single word of the Bill. They walked into the Dáil and decided that whatever the Government was doing was wrong, and they got very hot and heavy and made speeches without referring to a single item in the Bill. Anyone on the outside watching this debate would assume the Government is not implementing the Quirke report and is implementing something completely different. A political opportunity was used by speakers in the Dáil in order to give that impression.

This is my second time in the House discussing this Bill. What I am saying now is similar to what I was saying on the last occasion in respect of the provisions of this Bill. When it comes to dealing with legislation, I have to say that, on the various different issues, I have had very good interaction with the Members in this House. I assume we are on the same side on this. There comes a stage when the campaigning ends and the winning begins. That is the same in every single campaign that anybody has ever been involved in. There comes a stage when the winning begins. This Bill is where the winning begins in terms of what Mr. Justice Quirke has asked for. I cannot say more. I am not asking the Members to look at a press release from the Department of Justice and Equality or to look at a statement that Minister X, Y or Z has made. I am asking them to look at the green piece of paper they have all been given, which is the Bill in front of them, which they have been asked, as legislators, to pass through this esteemed House.

The Bill states:

Provision of health services without charge to relevant participants

2. (1) The Health Service Executive shall make available without charge to relevant participants—(a) the general practitioner medical and surgical service specified in section 58 of the Act of 1970 [the same as with hepatitis C],

(b) drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances for the time being on the Reimbursement List within the meaning of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 [as noted by Senator Moloney],

(c) the nursing service specified in section 60 of the Act of 1970 [the same as with hepatitis C],

(d) the home help service specified in section 61 of the Act of 1970, following an assessment of needs made by a registered medical practitioner or a registered nurse that the service is so required [the same as with hepatitis C],

(e) the dental, ophthalmic and aural services specified in section 67 of the Act of 1970 [the same as with hepatitis C],

(f) a counselling service, following a referral made in that regard by a registered medical practitioner, relative to a relevant participant’s admission to and work in any of the institutions specified in the Schedule [the same as with hepatitis C],

(g) a chiropody service... and

(h) a physiotherapy service... [the same as with hepatitis C].

All I am asking Senators to do is to look at what is in the Bill and to acknowledge that the only difference relates to quite specific circumstances which directly relate to hepatitis C and which do not relate to the Magdalen women. Mr. Justice Quirke's report is being implemented in full, and no Government, Parliament, Seanad or Dáil should stand over anything less. If I appear to be irritated by the misinformation, it is because I do not want people whose life experiences have been trawled through the media and in public comment in the last while, and who are trying to come to terms with their life experience, to have that situation compounded by misinformation and press releases and statements which are factually incorrect. I plead with Senators to look at the report and to look at the only bit of paper that is important in this context, namely, the Bill. I ask them to make their assessment, as myself and Senator Gilroy have done, by going through the subsections which list the ten services which we were told were not in the Bill but which we know are there because we have dissected them one by one.

If Members do not believe me, I will make this offer. If the Cathaoirleach wants to adjourn the House for a few moments, if that is possible under the Order of Business, the officials here would be quite happy to nail down in a detailed manner the individual questions the Senators have. However, I would say this. I have been here before and have outlined this before. I would ask those who are making statements to refer to the Bill and we can get some really solid work done here today.