Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom thar ceann mhuintir Shinn Féin anseo sa Seanad comhbhrón a dhéanamh tar éis bhás an iar-Bhall den Teach seo, Alexis Fitzgerald, lena chlann, lena mhuintir agus lena chairde. I echo the sentiments on the passing of former Senator and Deputy, Alexis Fitzgerald, and pass on our condolences to his family and friends as well.

I concur with Senator Bacik’s call for a debate on the working group on direct provision. It is very important that we would debate the issue. I have serious misgivings about some of the findings of the working group, which I will make at the time. Perhaps before we break up next week, if he is able, the Leader might also give us an indication of the progress of the protection Bill, which is intricately linked to the work of the working group. A Bill is required to introduce most of the recommended changes that need to be made.

Many Members might be thinking about taking a break from the Houses, but I raised an issue to which the Leader did not get to respond due to the shenanigans going on, about a number of women who do not have much time to wait. I refer to the 1,512 women who have signed up the Magdalen redress scheme. In order to sign up the women were required to indemnify the State. They did so on the understanding that the Government would honour in full the recommendations made in the Quirke report. In recent weeks, women based in this country have begun to receive their long-promised medical cards, only to find they are inadequate for their health needs and do not entitle them to the enhanced range of services they were promised when they signed up to the scheme. No provision has been made for the survivors who reside outside of this country, all of whom are entitled to redress.

As if the situation were not problematic enough, the cards issued to the women in recent weeks clearly identify them as survivors of residential institutions, which is a breach of their privacy. The women concerned are elderly and they have been and, sadly, continue to be treated appallingly. They have no time to waste. Several of the women have passed away since the Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny’s tearful apology to them. They deserve the best we can give them immediately, not when we return from our summer holidays. I note that we will have a Minister or Minister of State from the Department of Justice and Equality next week. I call on the Leader to make time available either today or next week so that we can address the issue and raise the concerns that have been raised by the women. The Government should not leave the women hanging in uncertainty during the summer recess. They deserve the best we can offer. We must take action and we should do that while we are still here. I call on the Leader to organise such a debate.