Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I listened with great interest to what Senators McDowell and Conway-Walsh said about the future of the island in the light of the increasing and awful prospect of a no-deal Brexit. I will add a small observation of my own. A most unfortunate development has arisen post the Vótáil 100 programme we held last summer. Colleagues will recall that as part of the programme, I along with Senators Conway-Walsh, Higgins and others accompanied the Ceann Comhairle to Westminster to present a portrait of Constance Markievicz to the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow. The journalist Martina Devlin has just brought to light the fact that the portrait is unfortunately no longer hanging in a public space in Westminster, as I think we had assumed it would be, but was put into storage. It has now been liberated by the Labour Party MP, Conor McGinn, and is hanging in his office. I ask that we communicate with the Ceann Comhairle about this and see why or how the portrait, gifted by our speaker to the Speaker of the British Parliament, was not kept hanging in public after last summer's presentation, which was so successful. That is perhaps a small perhaps footnote on British-Irish relations but nonetheless of some significance.

I wish to voice my disappointment that in this last sitting week, as has become an unfortunate tradition, we are inundated with justice Bills being pushed through. I know that this is not of the Leader's doing, that it comes to us from the other House. It is unfortunate, however, that we are seeing really important, long-awaited Bills such as the Parole Bill debated and rushed through this House in a matter of two or three days, even though that Bill started in the other House at the instigation of Deputy O'Callaghan in 2016. There is therefore no reason for this unseemly rush at the end of July every year. It always seems to be a particular feature of the Department of Justice and Equality and its legislation.Will the Leader convey our disappointment that this is once again happening?

I commend Ms Louise O'Keeffe on her resilience and persistence in light of the report from Mr. Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill, which makes it clear that the conditions placed on the redress scheme for survivors of abuse in day schools should not have been so placed. I heard the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh, on radio this morning. I hope that the Government will now devise a scheme that is fair to survivors of abuse. I should declare an interest, as I represented survivors of abuse in day schools. I know how long a battle to seek justice it has been for many of them.