Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I echo the sentiments concerning Mary O'Rourke. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis.

I want to raise again in the House the case of Caitlin Ada Joanne Hassan. I give her full name, as I did on a Commencement matter, because she is a human being. She is a young woman who was sexually and physically assaulted while in the care of the State in a section 39 care provider, Avista. Caitlin's mum, Louise Hassan, is here with her solicitor, Caoimhe Haughey.

We brought this matter to the attention of the House and the Minister by way of a Commencement matter in recent weeks and we received a wholly unsatisfactory response from the Minister. The crux of the matter is that the assault and abuse of Caitlin was investigated by the HSE and a report was finalised. That report has been furnished to everybody except Caitlin and her mum. We have made strenuous attempts to correct this moral defect. There is no legal or process reason that this report cannot be published to the family. In fact, the terms of reference, which I have subsequently been made aware of, at paragraphs 21 and 24 state that on completion of the investigation, the report will be issued and submitted. There is nothing in the terms of reference to prevent the report being furnished to Caitlin's mum.

When we think of the Grace case, this is another example of a vulnerable young woman who was preyed upon while in the care of the State. As a carer and a parent, this is your worst nightmare: to hand your child over to the care of others and to have them violated in this way. This is David and we are Goliath. Given all of the resources of the HSE, no fewer than three legal firms and an army of senior counsel and barristers, citing all sorts of spurious reasons this report cannot be published to the family, stand in the way of what is a categorical and ethical imperative to do the right thing.

Two Government Ministers have written to the Ceann Comhairle to ask that time be set in the Dáil to deal with the matter of safeguarding and the protection of children against sexual abuse, yet, at the same time, those people with the power to make this decision are refusing to assist a family whose daughter has been grievously abused and sexually assaulted. I call that, at best, an inherent contradiction in terms and, at worst, hypocrisy.

What have we learned from the Grace case? I ask that the House have a debate, in whatever time is left to us in the life of this Government, and that we get the Minister in to explain why, after everything we have learned or not learned from the Grace case, we cannot give this family the natural justice they so rightly deserve.