RTE News
May 28, 2009
http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0528/abuse.html
[with audio]
Minister for Health Mary Harney has said the Taoiseach will be taking a 'robust' approach to his negotiations with the religious congregations.
Later, the Dáil unanimously passed an all-party motion calling on the Congregations to make further substantial contributions by way of reparation to the victims of institutional abuse.
Today's Dáil motion, in the names of the Taoiseach and the leaders of the three Opposition parties, was passed unanimously and without debate.
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| Mary Harney: Talks will be 'robust' |
A full two-day debate on the Report of the Commission on Child Abuse will be held when the Dáil returns after next week's local and European elections.
It called on the congregations to make further substantial contributions, including to a trust set up and managed by the State for the support of victims and to other education and welfare purposes.
The motion also apologises to the victims of abuse for the failure to intervene, and says support for them must be the priority for all concerned.
Ms Harney, who was taking the Order of Business for the Government, said she did not want to pre-empt the outcome of discussions with the congregations, but added that the Taoiseach would be taking a 'robust' approach in those talks.
Meanwhile, Labour's Joan Burton has called on the Government to verify if the Ryan Commission was planning to destroy documents it gathered in its compilation of the report on institutional abuse.
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| Mary McAleese: Prosecution would bring justice |
She said such an outcome would be an appalling insult to the victims of abuse.
McAleese backs abuse prosecutions
President Mary McAleese believes people should face prosecutions as a result of the Ryan Report into child abuse.
Mrs McAleese was speaking in Boston on the final leg of an official visit to the US state of Massachusetts. She has been meeting Irish communities and promoting Irish industry and tourism.
Her visit also coincided with a considerable amount of publicity in US media on the fall-out from the Ryan Report.
In an interview with RTÉ News, the President said the report showed a catalogue of criminal offences, and that people who committed these awful crimes against innocent children should face prosecution.
Prosecution might not bring closure, but it would bring justice, she added.
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