Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Today, I wish to advocate for the former residents of the Westbank orphanage in Greystones, County Wicklow. Deputies and councillors in Wicklow will have been bombarded over the last weekend with literature that was given door to door and to every person on the street of Greystones last week. Many of us will know how the Westbank orphanage was excluded from the redress scheme. Former residents believe that they should have been included in the residential institutions redress scheme. I share that belief and I call today on the Government to look again at the redress scheme to ensure there is justice, fairness and healing for those who were placed, as children, in Westbank orphanage.

I met with Mr. Sidney Herdman and Mr. Andrew Yates, former residents of Westbank, in my office two weeks ago and they told their story. What was unusual was that this was an Anglican Protestant institution. Many of the children came from Northern Ireland down to Greystones and back. These northern Protestant children told me of the biblical story that was so much talked about and taught to them: “Suffer little children ... come on to me.” As we teased out the emotional ramifications of their suffering and abuse, I told them that I understood that quote to be one of reaching out to a segment of society that was thought to be insignificant: children who were suffering, children of weakness and vulnerability.

So what are they asking? They are asking for the Schedule to the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 to be amended to include them or, now that has been curtailed or closed down, to have a special redress scheme for them. They are people who suffered in this State, under the supervision of this State. They have a genuine story. They have reached out to the Taoiseach and I understand he will be engaging with them. They have reached out to the leaders of all the other parties. These men suffered at Westbank when they were children. They suffered injuries consistent with allegations and alleged abuse. I believe they need a fair hearing and some form of redress. I ask the Government and all Members of this House to advocate strongly for justice for them.