Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)

Many of us were deeply disappointed by the findings of the Farrelly commission on the Grace case. Grace is a 40-year-old woman living in the south east. A lot has been said about her in the media over the last few weeks. I take the opportunity today to speak directly to Grace, who is often missing from this discussion, despite the fact that she is central to this issue. Grace, you were failed over and over again by the State. You deserved love, protection and dignity but instead, those who were supposed to protect you turned you away. For more than two decades, serious concerns were raised about your safety but those warnings were systematically ignored. You were left in harm's way and your family was left to fight alone for justice that should have come swiftly.

Today I am here as a public representative but I am also here as a human being. It is appalling what was allowed to happen to Grace. The State failed her, her family and the 47 other children placed in that foster home. It also failed the whistleblowers who had the courage to speak up when no one else would.

The Farrelly commission was launched eight years ago, after Grace was removed. It delivered a 2,000-page report this month after a €20 million investigation. It confirms neglect and a fundamental failure in care, but it stops short of acknowledging the emotional or sexual abuse, despite a €6.3 million settlement by the HSE and a public apology in court. This contradiction within the commission's report cannot be ignored. The report lacks an executive summary, making it completely inaccessible to the very people most affected by its findings. It fails to name people responsible and, frankly, fails to deliver accountability. The Ombudsman for Children has said that the ship has sailed for justice but it cannot and must not. Grace, your voice may never be heard but your story must be. That is why I am calling for a full public inquiry, one that delivers truth, justice and lasting change. Ireland does not have sufficient safeguarding legislation for vulnerable adults, in complete contravention of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We need mandatory reporting for abuse in all care settings. We urgently need to address the appalling safeguarding abuses we have seen within the Irish care system. I strongly request that we have a debate on this.