Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I was not taking the Chair's comment that way.

I welcome amendments Nos. 1 and 7 from the Minister. When this Bill was introduced to the Seanad, I was critical of the Government's approach in fast-tracking the legislation. It is not how we should do our business. I accept the urgency. Survivors have been waiting five years for the commission of investigation to complete its work. It has indicated it is ready to complete its work and provide the Minister with a report next week. Every single one of the survivors deserves to have that report furnished to him or her and made public as soon as possible. I support the Minister and accept his apology, which is heartfelt and sincere. We are all learning on the job. It was unfortunate for the Minister and the Government but, most importantly, for the survivors, their friends, families and supporters and everybody who has campaigned for them and, therefore, the apology was appropriate and welcome.

When the Minister brought the Bill to us, I said that we live in a era of data. I do not want to in any way reduce the enormity of this history to a discussion of data but that is what the Bill is about. I specifically asked the Minister to ensure that one entire unredacted record of this archive would be kept in one place because the original proposition was that the archive would be sealed and the database transferred to Tusla. Critically, the Minister's amendment seeks to ensure that one entire unredacted, unedited and untouched record is retained in the Department. I do not think it is a small database. I have not seen it. I do not know. I have heard others say that it is a small database. I do not think it will be an Excel spreadsheet with a number of lines. My expectation is that it will be a database that will document records of more than 60,000 individuals over 75 years of records and data. That is not a small data file. That is not something insignificant. That is very significant and precious, which is why I would like the Minister to tell me the format in which it will be secured and how it will be secured because data are fragile. That is important. It does not necessarily have to be captured in the legislation but I want to understand the format in which the records, documents and database will be deposited in the Department and how they will be secured. I also want to know what the process will be in the interim because we do not have the information and tracing legislation required. What will be the process be until such information is in place for individuals to be able to make requests for their personal data?

I also support the Minister's amendment that will allow those who contributed and gave evidence to have that evidence released. That is very welcome and something else we had sought. He has said that if we pass this legislation, the commission can report. There is talk of the report being in excess of 4,000 pages with an anonymised index of 80 pages. This is incredibly valuable but once that report is available, it must be made public because, more than anything, there are many sides to this and many lived experiences.In Dublin Central there were a number of these institutions. I know many of these survivors and I know that people have different ways of dealing with history and their past and of wanting to reclaim it and reclaim their identity. More than anything, however, I think that, collectively and individually, they want to be heard. They want their voices to be heard and their story to be told. Therefore, when the report of the commission of investigation is completed, I want the Minister's Department to make it public. I want it to be made public online and deposited in every library in the country. It will be part of our history. It should be made available to all our citizens. I have asked the Minister this before but I will not end my contribution without mentioning again the need for an archive. I heard him talk earlier about the State moving to having a victim-centred approach.