Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-06-10
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Ivana Bacik (LAB), Dublin Bay South

I thank the Taoiseach for his considered response. Like him, I commend the judge, Michael White, on all his work and for taking on this report and giving us such a comprehensive picture. I agree that we need a debate in this House once we have had time to digest the full findings of the report. Unfortunately, however, there have been so many of these situations where we have seen paedophilia covered up and even facilitated by State agencies, and where we have seen failures to support and protect victims and survivors. I am thinking of the survivors of Eamonn Cooke, the survivors of industrial schools, the brave individuals who came forward about the "Blackrock Boys" and the survivors of Michael Shine. Deputy Nash has been speaking out on behalf of survivors in that appalling situation. I know the scoping inquiry is due to report soon. We have been looking for a public inquiry into the litany of failure there in respect to victims.
The State must clearly do better. I know, as the Taoiseach said, there are better procedures in place now, but we can still do more. On 25 June, in this House we will be putting forward the Labour Party's Bill to ensure that where religious orders have colluded in cover-ups, that they can be pursued in order to facilitate the payment of redress to victims.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-06-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:47+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-10