Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Katherine Zappone, to the Chamber. She has been here on several occasions at my request for which I thank her. I would like to extend a welcome to the survivors who are seated in the Visitors' Gallery today and I believe the others are watching online.

Last week, a somewhat surprise third interim report was published by the commission. Based on the recommendation of the report, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs subsequently granted an extension of one year to the commission to complete its work. I echo the sentiments of many of the survivors who welcome this difficult decision in that it affords more attention to detail and a greater depth of research to be conducted.

However, as the Minister will know, it is a very difficult decision as many survivors have a very legitimate concern that the delay will mean many of the elderly survivors will not reach closure on this matter, and a closure that they need, because they may not have that length of life. Furthermore, as I know she is aware, many of the survivors still suffer daily due to the trauma that they suffered. The delay will mean they will have to wait even longer for the answers they desperately seek.

I am glad that the Minister is here today to outline the practical supports that will be available to survivors in the meantime. For example, can they access scanned records before the final report? Many of the survivors are older and might need IT assistance as well as emotional and psychological supports. It is not ideal but the fact is the report has been delayed. If survivors could at least access records it might offer them some closure in the meantime.

The interim report also says that the additional timeframe will not incur additional costs. Can the Minister clarify the matter because the deadline has been extended by a year?

In the Minister's December update on this issue she stated that her officials were working on a number of measures to respond to the issues that arose from the facilitated meetings that have been held to date. She now plans to bring a number of proposals in this regard to the Government in the coming weeks. How will the newly announced collaborative forum's recommendations tie in with this work? Can she confirm whether the process will run parallel? Can she give a commitment of a clear timeframe for when she will bring the proposals to Cabinet and outline what they will consist of?

I recognise the amount of work that the Minister has put into listening to the survivors. I have thoroughly read the facilitation reports and there are some excellent suggestions therein that have come directly from the survivors. Can she give a commitment that the recommendations will not be dependent on the collaborative forum?

Finally, there is an elephant in the room. I refer to the leaked technical report into the Tuam site that has just been published and cannot be ignored. I have read the Minister's statement and know that she regrets the leak. I need to look into the details of this newly-published report. Will the Cabinet finish its considerations today? Has the Minister's Department a contingency plan on how to support those who will be deeply affected by the recommendations of such a report, especially if the reporting that we have thus far is to be believed?