Institutional Burials Bill 2022: Committee Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2022-06-28
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Mary Seery Kearney (FG), Nominated by the Taoiseach

On the proposal to delete the word "may" and substitute "shall", I understand why the amendment is being proposed. However, I cannot support it. We need to allow a latitude that intervention does not occur because it may be the desire of the mothers of babies interred for there to be no intervention. I can think of instances such as Bessborough where mothers want to be able to sit beside where their baby is interred and there are many others in a similar situation. To substitute the word "shall" would oblige the Minister to act. I do not believe that is correct. There needs to be discretion, and the word "may" within the legislation provides for that discretion.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2022-06-28/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:54:41+00:00
Sitting date: 2022-06-28