Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cé go bhfuil na Teachtaí Dála ag fáil faoi réir le dhul ar a gcuid laethanta saoire, tá ábhar gur ceart dúinne déileáil leis sular mbíonn briseadh againne. The Deputies may be getting ready to pack up and go off on their holidays but an issue has come to the fore which the Seanad might be able to deal with. So far, 512 women have signed up for the Magdalen redress scheme. In order to sign up, the women were required to indemnify the State. They did this on the understanding that the Government would honour in full the recommendations made in the Quirke report. We debated that in this House.

In recent weeks women based in Ireland have begun to receive their long promised medical cards only to find that the cards are inadequate for their health needs. The cards do not entitle them to the enhanced range of services they were promised when they signed up and as we were promised in this House. No provision has been made for the survivors who reside outside of Ireland, all of whom are entitled to redress. If all of this was not problematic enough the actual cards issued to the women in recent weeks clearly identify them as survivors of residential institutions, which is a breach of their privacy. These women are mainly elderly. They have been, and are sadly still being, treated appallingly. They have no time to waste. Some of these women have passed away since the tearful apology to them made by the Taoiseach, Deputy Kenny. They deserve the best we can give them immediately, not when our politicians return from the summer holidays. We need to have a debate with the Minister on this issue as soon as possible.

There are calls for the Government to introduce emergency legislation to bring the healthcare provisions, under the Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Act, in line with those provided for under the Health (Amendment) Act 1996, as recommended by the Quirke report. We in opposition feared this and highlighted it when the legislation was coming through. This needs to be done immediately. I ask that these women are not left hanging in uncertainty while the Dáil goes into summer recess, that we use the Seanad to help them get what they deserve and to offer the proper redress as soon as possible. I call on the Leader to ask the Minister to come to the House.