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

On the last point, some of these payments are made over a continuing period until the ladies pass away so it is not as if we have to continue with these payments.

The remarks about the Justice for Magdalenes group are well made. It has done sterling work and has been campaigning on a great injustice that was done to these women for a very long time. It is an Ireland to which none of us ever wants to return. When we debated this issue previously, I said there are many issues that still have to be dealt with in Ireland, particularly about the status of women, and also our love affair with institutionalising people which we still do to this day. We have spoken previously in this House on issues in this regard.

When a press release or a statement, which is factually incorrect, is issued, as Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, I have to point to what is correct and what is incorrect. We have to refer to the Bill. I would make the point that there is in all things in life and in politics a time when the campaigning ends and winning begins. I genuinely feel that this is where the winning is beginning for women who deserve no less from the State. It is the intention for these provisions to be made available a month after the Bill is signed into law by the President. We have lost another week but if that week makes Senators more at ease with the Bill that is passing, then it is a week worth taking.