Gerard Craughwell (Independent)

With respect to supports for people living outside the State, I cannot understand why a specific figure was ring-fenced. As somebody who goes to a couple of consultants every year, €3,000 will not take one very far in this world. There should be an expense scheme based on returned receipts such that any time survivors seek medical help, providing it is in accordance with what they went through while resident in an institution, they should simply be able to send the State an expense receipt and be fully reimbursed.

What is being provided is a bit of a buy-off and, at €3,000, a cheap buy-off. Let us be honest about it; €3,000 would not take a person very far in the health service in this country and I cannot see it taking people very far in some other places. My colleague mentioned North America, where €3,000 would probably get a person one consultation. Ring-fencing the money to be allocated to people who are outside the State in this way is not adequate. As my colleague, Senator Boyhan, noted, a lot of the survivors now living outside the State were driven out of it and are afraid to come back ever again. We owe them a damn sight more than €3,000.