Statement on abuse of children promised

An "extensive statement" will be made next week on behalf of the Government, following allegations of abuse of children over the years in State-run institutions.

The Minister of State for the Marine, Mr Hugh Byrne, said a Cabinet sub-committee on all issues relating to abuse will make recommendations to the Cabinet next week.

The sub-committee worked on the basis of meeting the needs and wishes of abuse victims and seeking to ensure that any continuing abuse is properly tackled.

"One of the elements of this is that victims want a means to tell their story and have the truth recorded," Mr Byrne said on behalf of the Minister for Education, Mr Martin, who chaired the subcommittee.

He was responding to Mr Dan Neville (FG, Limerick West) who said a children's Ombudsman, was urgently needed. The State had to acknowledge its role in the damage done to children in its care, and apologise to them.

They had to ensure that this generation of legislators would not be found culpable in allowing such abuse to continue, he said, and called for a full inquiry into the abuse of children, following the broadcast this week of the RTE programme, States of Fear, which outlined abuse of children in State-run industrial schools.

Mr Byrne said the programme-makers were to be congratulated for their work, as were the victims, who told their stories with great bravery and dignity.

On Wednesday the Taoiseach said party whips could meet to discuss the matter. When there was no indication yesterday that the whips had met, Ms Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Labour, South Kerry), who first suggested the apology, claimed that the Government was rowing back on Mr Ahern's commitment.

The Labour leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, asked if the party whips had considered the proposal that time should be made available for statements as a response and apology to the victims of sex abuse and mistreatment in State-funded institutions.

The Minister for the Marine, Dr Woods, who was taking the Order of Business in the absence of the Taoiseach and Tanaiste, said he believed that Mr Ahern, and the whole House, were sympathetic to the views expressed by Mr Quinn.

When the Cabinet sub-committee had reported to the Government he thought this would be a suitable time for a broad debate on the issue.

"I think the point which needs to be made very clearly at this point is that in the House there are really no differences between us on the issue. But we do want to find a very comprehensive way of Irish society responding to these appalling revelations."

Mr Quinn said the last thing they wanted was a Cabinet subcommittee being told that the last thing it could do was open its mouth for fear of incurring a compensation cost. "I am asking that time be afforded in this House for deputies from all sides, officeholders and former office-holders, to make the kind of apology which most of these people want."

The Fine Gael deputy leader, Mrs Nora Owen, said the inspectorate of child care should be put on a statutory basis, so that they could be absolutely sure that children in institutions were getting all the protection they required, "now that we know what went on in those dark years".

Mr Joe Higgins (Socialist Party, Dublin West) said a Cabinet subcommittee reporting smacked of putting the issue on the long finger in many people's minds. There should be a very quick acknowledgment of the pain and suffering, a very quick apology, and proposals for compensation. The Dail should deal with the issue next week at the latest.

Mr Trevor Sargent (Green Party, Dublin North) said the issue was of such a tragic nature that it required an immediate response.

Dr Woods said he found himself in agreement with other members of the House, but he thought it was important that rather than having a "top-of-the-head" response, the sub-committee's report should be awaited. This would provide for a Dail debate in which to express "the horror, upset and the disturbance," not just of the House but the whole State.