Máire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Saturday was a momentous day for mná na hÉireann, but it was unfortunately followed quickly by sadness due to the confirmation in the last two days that at least 126 individuals have been affected by this scandal. I have met Kathy from First Mothers. She was so anxious that mothers be linked to their stolen babies. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

I am a bit unclear about a few things. What role does An Garda Síochána have now? I am aware that an inquiry has been called for, but I would like to see criminal prosecutions, if that is possible, because what happened was illegal. It might have been part of a hidden culture, but it was illegal. I imagine that many of the people involved in the selling or procuring of these babies may well be deceased, but some of them were attached to institutions. They were not just individuals but went under the name of either a religious institution or a home of some description. Can An Garda Síochána issue criminal proceedings? An inquiry may take a long time and there may be very few people left who were involved directly. Perhaps we should look at investigating the institutions.

Why are the dates, 1946 to 1969, so clearly indicated? Why does the issue not arise before or after these dates? Do these dates apply only to St. Patrick's Guild? Will we find that dates before and after those indicated will apply to other homes or institutions?

Some 150,000 individuals are involved in this, and Tusla has custody of 100,000 case files. Are the other 50,000 going to be found and put into the custody of Tusla as well? The people who will be contacted and sensitively informed about this face a devastating, painful journey. Their lives will never be the same again.