Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

I will not repeat what I said earlier. I thank colleagues for their engagement. This is something that has obviously been ongoing for some time. I appreciate how challenging and difficult it has been for colleagues and particularly for survivors. I again acknowledge Mary, Mary, Miriam and Sheila, who are here today.

After the conversations we have just had, I am not sure there is anything I can say that would accurately reflect the trauma inflicted on so many different people in so many different ways. While we are discussing Caranua, the Ryan report and industrial schools, at every step of the way, we have to acknowledge our past and the wrongs that have been inflicted on so many people so many times. We need to do better. In saying that, I acknowledge that issues have been raised about the supports we are providing here but I hope that what is being provided in this Bill, which can be put in place once it is enacted, will go some way, albeit a very small way, towards acknowledging the trauma I have mentioned here today. There is a lot more we have to do and that I am committed to doing as Minister for Education and Youth. I particularly refer to the commission of investigation into our schools. I have no doubt we will have many more conversations like this in the years and months ahead as a result of that. I will engage with colleagues at all stages and will do so in good faith, as I know all colleagues will because we all have the same objective and goal, which is to reflect and acknowledge what happened and to do what we can to put in place supports for survivors and, where possible, for their families. I acknowledge this does not just stop at one individual but impacts on a great many other people's lives.

I again acknowledge the many things we have discussed here today. For my part, where I can work with colleagues across Government, I absolutely commit to doing so. I again acknowledge the passing of the Bill and colleagues' contributions here today. I particularly acknowledge all survivors who are here and those who are not here as well. We can never rectify or change what happened to them but we can acknowledge it and do what we can to support them. We are absolutely committed to doing that.