Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would also like to highlight the horrendous nature of what happened in the Tuam mother and baby home. An inquiry is being held into these shocking events. All of the people who have been impacted on by their dealings with mother and baby homes and other institutions such as the Magdalen laundries need to be listened to. The Coalition of Mother and Baby Home Survivors state approximately 35,000 women and girls went to nine mother and baby homes between 1904 and 1996 and that their treatment needs to be investigated. There should not be a hierarchy of women who suffered. All women who passed through the homes and want their stories told must be listened to. We must ensure the ill-treatment is brought to light and will never be allowed to happen again. In a survey of 5,500 people conducted by The Journal87% felt the mother and baby home inquiry should be expanded. A woman who had a baby at the age of 18 years in the Bessborough home in Cork says justice for her would mean a full and frank acknowledgement from all of the religious orders and facilities involved. We owe it to the women concerned to give them the closure they request.

Grace is another horrendous case. It is an indictment of our society and how the most vulnerable are treated. Grace, a young woman with intellectual disabilities, could not rely on the State to ensure she was kept safe. A full investigation is needed into the decision made in 1996 to remove her from the foster home following allegations of sexual abuse and its subsequent reversal to leave her there following representations made by the foster father. I hope the terms of reference of the commission of investigation will be widened to include the other 46 service users who spent time in the foster home in question. How many similar cases are there? Are there other cases where the HSE, Tusla or the Garda were made aware of sexual or physical abuse allegations against a foster parent and the child was not removed from the foster home? It is important that we know that no other children are living in foster homes that have been the subject of allegations of abuse. The most vulnerable in society are always marginalised and still do not have a voice.