Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I was not aware we had survivors in the Visitors Gallery, otherwise, I would have begun by welcoming them along with other Members of the House. It is helpful to me to be in my beloved Seanad. It is right they should come here to hear this debate. I spoke on this in the Dáil earlier but this House offers the opportunity to reflect with depth, commitment, experience and the search for truth those in the Gallery have been listening to this afternoon along with me. All Members are attempting to respond publicly and in the context of their position as Senators and public representatives to the voices of survivors and to their requests, experience, and truth telling for all the years they have been doing that. I also acknowledge that. It is exceptionally nourishing to be here to hear everything that has been said and everything that has been requested of me as Minister. We must reflect on all the different words we have looked for in this and the other House and in the newspapers to try to come to a deeper understanding of what happened and why. Why did it happen?

When I spoke earlier I tried to raise some of those questions. We need to continue to ask them and we need to find our answers. There are different ways in which we should do that. What we are trying to come to terms with is enormous. We have to address the ways it has impacted the lives of survivors, how long they have waited and the issues of time, violation, the loss of belonging and the loss of care and love. I am trying to offer a few words now but there are many more words that need to be said. How do we work with the impact of what we are trying to come to terms with? I acknowledge the work of Senator Reilly, who I am following as Minister, as he also worked from that perspective. In my ministry, I am trying to suggest ways of coming to terms with or trying to cope with this. How can we understand, learn from and heal from the enormity of what has gone on and continues to go in our country? It should offer survivors the healing they justly deserve in whatever ways that healing comes.

We have also talked a lot about the changes that are required in terms of institutional and cultural reform and the separation of church and State and the actions that are necessary to move us beyond that. I am open to considering extending the terms of reference. I am supported by survivors in their requests for that. It is a Government decision. I am open to doing that. In addition, there ought to be other ways and actions the State or Government could support for us to come to terms with the healing and transformation required for us to move from the repressive times to another time, from one era to another and to have institutional and cultural reform. Transitional justice is about trying to help us to do that. There are many ways in which it could be incorporated into that.

There are many actions that people have requested. We deal with these questions and requests from where we stand. Right now, I am the Minister, so I am listening. If I was not the Minister, I would be out there asking for all the things the survivors are asking for. I hear what they are asking for - extending the terms of reference, compensation, rituals, identification of remains and a State apology. I hear all that. After I heard it last week on Tuesday afternoon, I went to the mother and baby home in Tuam on Wednesday morning at 7.30 a.m. and paid my respects. There are lots of things we need to do. I started on Monday by phoning Catherine Corless to see if she would come to see me. Just before I came into the Seanad, we finally got a hold of her and I will be seeing her on Tuesday. I would love to see everybody if that is possible. Many actions have been identified. The only way to quickly decide the most appropriate actions is to work together to give the State and Government, of which I am part, the impetus and courage to do those things. Survivors have to continue to make requests and reflect on the ways they engage in actions to ensure healing takes place and will continue to take place in ways that acknowledge the sacredness of motherhood and children so that the survivors, in particular, will feel that we live in an Ireland where they wish to belong. I believe them.