Eileen Flynn (Independent)

I am privileged to support the Bill and I thank Senator Boyhan for all his hard work. He said something important to me which I had never really thought about. This was that there are victims walking the corridors of Leinster House. Behind us we have Catherine and Sheila, two very powerful women. I have worked with them for many years on institutional abuse and the mother and baby homes.

We must be clear that while financial compensation is necessary, no amount of money can repair the damage done to those who suffered in these institutions. What survivors often describe as being equally important is being heard and believed and their experiences being acknowledged. Catherine Coffey has given me a letter, as she has to many Members. Several parts stand out for me. Many Traveller children were taken, never to be seen again. At Traveller events many women speak about the bogeyman, as they did years ago, when Travellers lived on the sides of the roads. Even when I was growing up, my mother would tell me to be good or the bogeyman would come and get me. Travellers have always been failed by the social care system in Irish society. Still today, sadly, there are Traveller women in prison who have no access to their children. They were also failed in mother and baby homes, as Catherine rightly states. I know Catherine is a proud member of the Traveller community herself.

One thing about Sheila and Catherine is that they do not make it all about themselves. In another part of the letter that Catherine wrote she said the Irish State should treat the survivors of industrial schools and their dark history with the respect it deserves and put an end to the suffering so they can all move on and make the best of the little of life they have left. The childhood of these women and their lives were taken away by the State, unfortunately. Catherine also speaks about how her human rights and equality were taken away as a child and sets out what the survivors are looking for. Senator Boyhan has in the Bill, which the Civil Engagement Group supports, equal access so people can have basic care now in their older age, something they never got as children. All they are looking for is basic care with regard to health, education and social housing.

Other Members have spoken about people living outside the country who left because of ill treatment at the hands of the State. For them to only get €3,000 is not on. I hope the Department will consider this and value people who moved outside the country with equal respect. I can say no more, except that we support Senator Boyhan. These survivors in later life are only looking to be treated with dignity, respect and equality of opportunity, something they were denied as young children. Again, I thank Sheila and Catherine for sharing their experience with us over the years. I thank the Minister for bringing forward this very important legislation.