Laura Harmon
Industrial and Commercial Panel · Labour Party · Ireland
“There is not enough room for a wheelchair to go around the side of the building. There is no obvious proper entrance. The reception is upstairs. There is no lift access for anyone with mobility issues, buggies or deliveries. The classrooms are an irregular shape and are not the standard classroom size of 49 sq. m.”
“Her cause of death was recorded as “congenital debilities”. For many of those babies who died at Bessborough, the reason given for their death was congenital debility or marasmus, which was essentially starvation. The reason given for these babies’ deaths was often very vague.”
“I am speaking again about the issue of Bessborough in Cork city and to call once again on the Taoiseach to act on this. There is still time to do the right thing and to have a negotiation process with the developer now or, failing that, to look at compulsory purchase of this site. The burial records have been sealed in relation to this.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her response. Will she call for a meeting in person with the school? Could that be facilitated to give the school an update in person? Does she have an idea as to a commitment on the timeline?”
“Will the Minister of State provide an update on what has been done to progress the request for additional school accommodation for Coláiste Daibhéid in Cork city and a timeline for the project?”
“It reaches high standards academically as well as in sport, STEM and stewardship. It has fantastic students and they deserve better. At present, the school is on the edge of Douglas Street Campus on Sawmill Street. There are two buildings. One is Buckingham House, which dates from the mid-19th century.”
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“We believe this Bill is a very positive and welcome step. I commend the Minister on it. It is also a timely reminder that we need to ensure the scheme works for every woman in this country. That means expanding age limits and looking seriously at how we remove any existing barriers to access.”
“In our view, raising the age to 40 at a minimum would cost just €5 million. We believe this should happen without delay. As was mentioned, research by the National Women's Council has pointed out other barriers to access that exist with regard to the scheme. Its research found that 31% of women experience barriers to access to contraception. There is a real issue with access for migrant women, including those in IPAS centres, who will not have the PPS number needed to access the scheme. There are also issues around cultural beliefs that shape attitudes to contraception in certain migrant or perhaps Traveller communities and we should ensure that women in these communities are met with sensitivity and appropriate support to enable them to access the scheme in whatever way works for them.”
“I welcome the Minister to the House. The Labour Party welcomes this Bill, which will allow pharmacists to prescribe contraception in certain circumstances. It is a sensible step that will help to improve access to the free contraception scheme, which was launched in 2022. We all know that many barriers exist in Ireland in terms of cost, geography or simply time for many people when trying to access a GP. That is particularly true in rural areas or socially disadvantaged areas. Empowering pharmacists to renew prescriptions is a sensible solution to one part of that problem. We believe the age range for the free contraception scheme should be extended beyond the current range of 17 to 35. There are women well into their 40s and beyond who need access to contraception.”
“I know he has met a selection of them but he had not met the Bessborough Mother and Baby Home Support Group which represents over 700 people. It has made several requests to meet the Taoiseach and I feel he needs to meet everyone. We cannot pit different survivor groups against each other. All their voices are important. The Taoiseach needs to engage with all of them.”
“Her cause of death was recorded as “congenital debilities”. For many of those babies who died at Bessborough, the reason given for their death was congenital debility or marasmus, which was essentially starvation. The reason given for these babies’ deaths was often very vague. Kathleen Collins died on 27 August 1926, Bernadette Gould died on 7 August 1943, Thomas Higgins died on 19 July 1977, Patrick O’Donnell died on 10 December 1967, and Paula McCarthy died on 28 January 1990. I wanted to read a selection of the names into the record but we know 923 babies died at Bessborough. Many women are missing also. If over 800 babies were missing in Ireland now, there would be a national search and a global outcry. We need the truth about this site. We cannot concrete over the past. I encourage the Taoiseach to meet all survivor groups.”
“I am speaking again about the issue of Bessborough in Cork city and to call once again on the Taoiseach to act on this. There is still time to do the right thing and to have a negotiation process with the developer now or, failing that, to look at compulsory purchase of this site. The burial records have been sealed in relation to this. There is an opportunity to legislate and publish these records. The Attorney General could instruct an inquest in relation to this site too. There will be a march on Saturday in Cork city which meets at 2.30 p.m. outside the library. We hope to see cross-party support at this. I will take the opportunity to read a random selection of names of people who died at Bessborough to put them into the record. Christina Lehane was born 22 December 1938. She died on 29 March 1939. She was three months old.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her response. Will she call for a meeting in person with the school? Could that be facilitated to give the school an update in person? Does she have an idea as to a commitment on the timeline? In order that I have clarity on the timeline, did she say it will be considered in the next tranche in 2026-27 or will it be confirmed in 2028? I reiterate the value the school brings to Cork in the education it provides. It was a pleasure to meet the principal, Mr. Tadhg Ó Laighin, and the students, recently. I have heard from many parents who are concerned, particularly about the safety issues. I have a serious concern. They need to be addressed without delay because there is an accident waiting to happen with these leaks and the water going onto the electricity cables. It is a matter of utmost urgency.”
“The latest report was submitted in August 2025 and the school wants the Minister of State's help to move the project to a stage 1B meeting with the Department. The aim would be to move the process to a joint stage 2A and 2B to advance the project at a rapid pace but the preferred building plan option is option 1B. I would like to hear the Minister of State's response on this. I thank her for attending this morning.”
“There is not enough room for a wheelchair to go around the side of the building. There is no obvious proper entrance. The reception is upstairs. There is no lift access for anyone with mobility issues, buggies or deliveries. The classrooms are an irregular shape and are not the standard classroom size of 49 sq. m. There are inadequate corridor space, uneven floor levels and an unsatisfactory ASD room and it is necessary to go through one classroom to access another. It is cold, with high heating costs and the pipes burst regularly. The woodwork room has no machinery. The home economics room is too small and has no storage area. There is a lack of storage space in general. What is the school seeking? An application for additional accommodation for the school was first raised in January 2020. Since then, it has been waiting for updates.”
“It reaches high standards academically as well as in sport, STEM and stewardship. It has fantastic students and they deserve better. At present, the school is on the edge of Douglas Street Campus on Sawmill Street. There are two buildings. One is Buckingham House, which dates from the mid-19th century. It is a protected building with a first floor that is only accessible by a stairs. It houses practical subjects, offices and work areas. The second building, known as an t-áras, was completed in 2011. It has eight classrooms with toilet facilities. The first floor is accessed by stairs and a lift. What are the problems? Buckingham House is not fit for purpose for a school. When I visited, I noticed some of the following issues. It cannot be accessed from the road. There are parking issues.”
“Will the Minister of State provide an update on what has been done to progress the request for additional school accommodation for Coláiste Daibhéid in Cork city and a timeline for the project? The school's preference is option 1B, to ensure a hall, canteen and ASD hub can be provided, while also addressing accessibility, safety and serious roof leak issues. Some 23 leaks have been identified in one part of the school currently, which is worrying, and a lot of them are affecting electricity cables. This is worrying for staff and students. Coláiste Daibhéid is a Gaelcholáiste, ann Irish-medium second level school, which provides the students of Cork city and surrounding areas access to a co-educational, multi-denominational educational opportunity through Irish. The school's patron is the Cork Education and Training Board, CETB.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Harkin. I want to discuss Coláiste Daibhéid in Cork city, which is a fantastic school I had the privilege of visiting recently. Bhí an-áthas orm bualadh leis an scoil agus na daltaí le déanaí, chomh maith leis an bpríomhoide agus leis an bhfoireann, chun plé a dhéanamh ar go leor ceisteanna trí Ghaeilge. Tá súil agam go mór go mbeidh muid in ann dul chun cinn a dhéanamh maidir le foirgneamh nua don scoil. Ta géarghá leis an bhfoirgneamh nua. Ba mhór an t-ábhar imní é an t-uisce ag sceitheadh ón díon a fheiceáil, chomh maith leis na buicéid a chuirtear amach chun an uisce a bhailiú. Tá sé seo ar fad ag tarlú gar do cháblaí leictreachais. Is ceist sláinte agus sábháilteachta í seo. Tá géarghá leis an bhfoirgneamh nua seo don scoil.”
“We are allowing dictators and authoritarian governments to undermine international law whereas we here in a democracy have a responsibility to uphold international law and to be compliant. God forbid, we do not know in Ireland in future generations what will happen in the world. We may be calling on other countries to uphold international law to protect us. We cannot predict the future. We needed people to protect us in the past when we were under colonial rule. We cannot be hypocritical either about our own past. Ultimately, services should have been included. We need to see further action after this Bill to ensure we are compliant without delay with international law.”
“It is such a disappointment that we did not have enough courage to include services. It would still be great to see the view of the Attorney General published in terms of the legal advice to get the depth and breadth of the advice given, and to be able to compare that with other legal experts who have said we could have included services as part of this Bill. The Bill is not without meaning but it is so disappointing that it has been watered down. Whatever about us as Senators or elected representatives, at the end of the day, it is the people of Palestine who are suffering because of this. We cannot allow the State of Israel and other rogue nations to go unchecked when it comes to upholding international law. International law has been made a mockery of over the past few years.”
“Unfortunately, we have succumbed to pressure and hearsay in relation to whether people will lose their jobs or whether companies stay in Ireland, but the humanity of the Irish people can never be bought or sold. We either uphold international law or we do not. After this Bill fully goes through the Houses, we need to understand from this Government and the Minister how we will become fully compliant and pressure other countries to do the same. It is important. There are marches every week in Ireland for this cause. In Cork, we erected a plaque a number of weeks ago in the middle of the city where the march meets every Saturday. People are crying out for more action. I would have been extremely proud of our Government and the first to say it if services had been included as part of this Bill. It would have been such a proud moment.”
“We often talk about politicians in the past and might say that person was ahead of their time on that issue, but we can only ever be of our time. We cannot be ahead or before our time. We only get one life and unfortunately for many of those in Palestine and the West Bank, their lives were cut short because of genocide and the State of Israel, aided and abetted by the US in what it has done. We have stood by. We have had a lot of statements but have not taken enough action as a country. Given our history of being under colonial rule, it is disheartening. It does not do us justice as a people that we have allowed this to be watered down to this point. Of course, this legislation is not without meaning, as I said. There is meaning in the goods piece but services have a much bigger impact and would have hit them a lot harder financially.”
“It is not just disappointing but extremely disheartening. This has been going on for so many years since Senator Black first brought forward her legislation. I commend her team and Conor O'Neill on their work on that and for getting us to this point. I do not believe we would even be at this point today if it was not for Senator Black. We would not even have this watered-down legislation if it was not for Senator Black; I think we would have nothing. It is disappointing. It does not represent the will or the feeling of the Irish people. I do not believe that is what this proposed Bill represents. It represents a highly watered-down version. We had an opportunity to be the leader on this issue within Europe - not just a leader but the leader.”
“I agree with colleagues on the points around services. I want to put on the record again today that we believe services should have been included in this Bill. We are very clear in our later amendments in relation to that. Services make up 70% of overall trade with the occupied territories. That trade, including financial services, tourism, tech and booking platforms, is a huge boon to the illegal Israeli settlements there and it must be tackled. It is hard to fathom that we would pass a Bill we know is not fully compliant with international law. We are either compliant with international law or we are not. I would like to hear from the Minister how she intends for us to become fully compliant after today. I welcome the Palestinian ambassador. I commend her on her work representing Palestine in Ireland and globally. She is very welcome.”
“For many families, it means that if they move over a fairly arbitrary county council border, they are right back to the start on the social housing list. This penalises households that have legitimate reasons to move, whether it be for employment or family reasons or in cases of domestic violence, for example. A social housing passport is a practical and deliverable solution to this problem that would make a real difference to those families.”
“Where a household has been assessed as qualified by one local authority and subsequently attaches a connection with another authority's area, it can apply to have that assessment recognised without a fresh assessment, unless the original assessment is more than three years old or circumstances have materially changed. The housing waiting list position is carried over from the date of original listing, subject to the receiving authority's letting priority scheme. At present, households that have been assessed as qualifying for social housing and placed on a waiting list in one local authority area lose that position if they have to move to another local authority area. We have all seen examples of this.”
“(5) The Minister may by regulations make further provision for the purposes of this section, including provision for— (a) the form and manner of an application under subsection (1), (b) the information to be provided by a household in support of such an application, (c) the circumstances in which a material change in circumstances under subsection (2)(a)(ii) may be found to exist, and (d) the procedures to be followed by housing authorities in giving effect to this section.”. This amendment inserts a new section 20 into the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 to provide for a social housing passport.”
“(3) Where the receiving authority recognises an assessment under subsection (2)(a), the household shall be placed on the housing list of the receiving authority with effect from the date on which the household was placed on the housing list of the assessing authority, subject to the application of any scheme of letting priorities made under section 22 by the receiving authority. (4) A household may appeal a decision of a receiving authority under subsection (2) in accordance with section 20B.”
“(2) On receipt of an application under subsection (1), the receiving authority shall— (a) recognise the assessment of the assessing authority as establishing that the household is qualified for social housing support in its functional area, without requiring the household to submit to a fresh assessment, unless, (i) the assessment of the assessing authority was made more than 3 years before the date of the application under subsection (1), or (ii) the receiving authority has reasonable grounds for believing that the circumstances of the household have materially changed since the date of the assessment, and (b) where paragraph (a)(i) or (ii) applies, carry out a fresh assessment of the household's eligibility for social housing support in accordance with section 20, taking into account such information as was provided to the assessing authority as the receiving authority considers relevant.”
“I move amendment No. 21: In page 19, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “Social housing assessment: transfer and recognition 15. The Act of 2009 is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 20B (inserted by section 12)— “Social housing passport 20C (1) Where a housing authority (in this section referred to as the ‘assessing authority’) has determined under section 20 that a household is qualified for social housing support, and a member of that household subsequently establishes a connection with the functional area of another housing authority (in this section referred to as the ‘receiving authority’), the household may apply to the receiving authority to have the assessment of the assessing authority recognised for the purposes of social housing support in the functional area of the receiving authority.”
“Those who are deemed ineligible may be offered night-to-night accommodation at the discretion of a local authority, increasing the risk of rough sleeping. Focus Ireland has welcomed the inclusion of the best interests of the child provision. However, it feels the measure is too limited as it applies only after a decision has been made to provide accommodation, rather than informing the decision on whether accommodation should be offered in the first place. It has called for stronger protections for children to be made part of this. In its view, the provision in the Bill does not reflect what was agreed by the Irish people when they endorsed the rights of the child clause in the Constitution. I wanted to put on record my concerns about this legislation in respect of vulnerable groups and children.”
“I want to make a general point. I know our amendment was ruled out of order and the reason was placed on record. What we sought to do with that amendment was to make sure there would be an assessment how the section would affect different groups in society that have a protected characteristic under the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2018, in particular with regard to race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, family status and membership of the Traveller community. There is a lot of concern about how this legislation could double down in terms of vulnerable groups, minority groups and children. The Office of the Ombudsman for Children has expressed concern that the Bill will make it significantly harder for vulnerable groups of children to access social housing and emergency homeless accommodation.”
“Amendment No. 18 seeks to insert a reasonableness ground into the social housing appeals process outlined in the new section 20B, to be inserted into the housing Act 2009 by this Bill. In our view, the internal appeals mechanism does not go far enough but if the Minister is insistent on going ahead with that internal appeals mechanism, a reasonableness ground needs to be included. As it stands, under section 20B(4), a household can only apply on one of the limited and specific grounds listed, and there is no residual ground covering a decision that is unreasonable on its facts. In our view, this needs to be corrected to ensure that the appeals process is fit for purpose.”
“This amendment makes explicit what the Constitution and EU law already require, which is that housing authorities cannot apply these conditions in a manner that is incompatible with EU treaty rights or with the State's obligations under the Convention. This is a straightforward amendment. We are bringing it forward in a spirit of co-operation to ensure this Bill does not inadvertently contradict our outstanding obligations. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has pointed out the three-month rule may violate EU freedom of movement law. Under Directive 2004/38/EC, an active worker or self-employed individual has immediate rights to equal treatment and cannot be subject to an arbitrary minimum waiting period to access housing assistance.”
“I move amendment No. 14: In page 15, after line 38, to insert the following: “(13) Nothing in this section shall be construed as— (a) restricting or qualifying any right conferred on a person by the Treaties of the European Union or by the Regulations of 2015, or (b) requiring a housing authority to act in a manner incompatible with the State's obligations under the Convention within the meaning of the European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003.”. This amendment is designed to safeguard European Union and human rights obligations. It ensures no provision within this section can override existing EU law or the European Convention on Human Rights, ECHR. The Bill as drafted, imposes residency requirements without any express acknowledgement of EU free movement rights or ECHR obligations.”
“This approach fundamentally changes Ireland's homelessness policy, making access to emergency accommodation contingent on factors other than whether that person is homeless is a fundamental change of approach that we are steadfastly opposed to. It will leave vulnerable people without emergency accommodation and increase rough sleeping, in our view. We are completely opposed to section 7.”
“The legislation makes no provision for winter darkness or people who have children with them. Focus Ireland is also concerned that this will provide little security or stability for vulnerable adults or families and is inconsistent with modern housing-led approaches to tackling homelessness. These are some really serious concerns from a leading organisation working at the coalface on this. The strict, arbitrary two-night limit is also a mistake. It removes the discretion that acted as a safety net and allowed local authorities to use their own common sense on humanitarian grounds to provide shelter to people. The strict rigidity of the Minister's approach will, in our view, remove a vital safety net.”
“Creating these additional administrative barriers might help to massage monthly homeless figures but it is only going to create a whole host of other problems. It will lead, in our view, to an increase in rough sleeping as well. I have been contacted by many organisations who have expertise in this area and who have grave concerns about this legislation, particularly Focus Ireland. It specifically has concerns regarding the proposed safety net. It states that access to shelter is a basic humanitarian protection and should not be conditional on proving eligibility before support is provided. It says the Bill provides local authorities with discretion to allow people to access shelter on a night-by-night basis, with accommodation available only during the specified hours of 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.”
“I want to state from outset that we are opposed to section 7. The Labour Party was opposed to this in the Dáil and we are opposed to it here today. We are opposed to the new restrictions on emergency accommodation that this section will put in place. We are also opposed to the way the Government has managed this legislation, effectively tacking on a whole new Bill on Report Stage in the Dáil. The TDs there got less than 24 hours' notice of the wide-ranging amendments and the debate was guillotined after two hours. It does not allow for proper scrutiny and it is not the right way to do legislation. Removing the safety net is a huge concern, that is, the safety net of emergency accommodation for people most at risk of homelessness.”
“We should bring it into the community. We need more amenities that do not involve alcohol where people can go to enjoy themselves and meet. This is something I am campaigning for in Cork. I commend the Cork Lido campaign on all the work it has been doing to try to secure a site and secure the funding for this. I believe the State should work with the city councils to provide these amenities for the public. I would welcome a debate in the House on swimming, water safety and access to safe swimming in general.”
“This is something that would provide access to open-air, safe swimming and give people an opportunity to learn how to swim. It would provide employment for lifeguards and it would certainly add to the communities. Currently, in Britain there are over 160 lidos in place and in Ireland, unfortunately, they have been decreasing. There are campaigns in Dublin and Galway for more facilities. This is something I would welcome a discussion on in this House with the relevant Minister to discuss access to swimming in Ireland. Unfortunately, a lot of people with mobility issues cannot often get to the beach or the seaside. There is no transport available to them. Particularly now, during a heatwave, temperatures are rising, and a lot of private swimming pools are expensive and often very full. Swimming should be accessible to everybody.”
“When I was a Cork city councillor, I had a motion calling for a lido within the city. Unfortunately, the Lee baths, which were hugely popular, closed the year I was born, back in 1986, 40 years ago now. There has never been anything like it since.”
“I want to raise the issue of Bessborough again today. There will be a rally next Saturday in Cork at 2.30 p.m. People are calling for the site to be preserved as a site of conscience, historical importance and, above all, a memorial for survivors and their families. It was heartening yesterday to see cross-party support from across the Government, the Opposition and Independents outside Cork City Hall, calling for the land to be acquired by the State via compulsory purchase order. I ask all Senators to put on pressure within their parties on this issue. It is really important that we secure this site and bring it into public ownership. The second issue I wish to raise is the issue of access to safe swimming in Ireland. I have been campaigning for a number of years for a lido in Cork City.”
“I ask the Minister to indicate whether he will intervene and provide the local authority with the funding to purchase this site. A compulsory purchase order needs to be initiated by the State in relation to this. This is a site of conscience, history, education and, most importantly, memory for the survivors, their families and those concerned who were affected by this. Imagine if we had built apartments on the land in Tuam, considering what we are uncovering on that site. It is a disgrace that this is being applied to Bessborough. I am grateful for being given the liberty to highlight this. I would greatly appreciate a response from the Minister.”
“While the Minister is in the Chamber, I will take the opportunity to put on record that I am deeply concerned with the decision on the granting of planning for the building of apartments on the Bessborough mother and baby home site. It is national breaking news today that planning has been granted for 106 apartments. This was Cork City Council's planning decision. It was not voted on by the elected councillors. I believe it is the wrong decision. A lot of social housing has been approved in that area and there is more to come. The Labour Party has supported the rezoning of land for appropriate social housing and infrastructure. This particular planning decision is incredibly worrying. I wanted to state that on the record.”
“It is also worrying that all members of particular households are taken into consideration together, so if there is an issue with one member not being eligible, it can affect an entire household. That is extremely problematic, and I would like a response from the Minister on that. I echo what other Senators have said regarding more support for local authorities to tackle housing, emergency accommodation, homelessness and dereliction, and to have the ability to build and acquire more housing. The Government needs to work more closely with the local authorities in this regard. Ultimately, we have more concerns about this legislation than points to welcome. We will seek to make amendments on Committee Stage.”
“These are issues that have been highlighted as concerns by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. There is also the entitlement to the legal advice provisions as part of this. This is something that comes up with me all of the time when I am speaking with people in Cork, in particular, in Cork South-Central. We have already talked about the increased number of evictions and termination notices that we have seen because of the changes to the rental tenancy rules earlier this year. It is very concerning. It is of concern not just to those renting, but also to many landlords in the market, in particular, small landlords, who are pulling out of the market as a result. That legislation has doubled down on homelessness, and this Bill is also incredibly worrying.”
“Will the Department implement the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission's recommendation to consider the human rights and equality implications of this change to legislation? I encourage the Minister to engage with these groups. It is a significant expansion of the proposed requirements applying to those seeking emergency accommodation. Vulnerable groups and those who are already at risk of homelessness will be more at risk. We are talking, for example, of the Traveller community and the Roma community, those who are victims of trafficking, survivors of domestic violence and those who might be leaving institutional settings. We believe they will be more at risk because of this. The appeal process is very short, at 14 days, and there is the absence of an entitlement to an oral hearing.”
“To pull away the very last resort for so many vulnerable people - access to emergency accommodation - is sickening. I believe it is wrong. This is the latest misstep in a long line of disastrous policies from this Minister. Whether it is the botched rental rules, the abandonment of annual targets or last night’s amendments, it is clear that the Government is flailing around, with no idea of how to tackle this housing crisis. I share the concerns of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, which wrote to the Minister this week. I also share the concerns of many NGOs and organisations that have contacted me directly, including the Free Legal Advice Centre and Focus Ireland, to name but two. What assessments have been conducted in this regard?”
“Instead, the previous rules will be replaced with a highly restrictive statutory safety net that caps night-time shelter at only two nights. This is a blatant and shameful attempt to massage down the homeless figures by driving up rough sleeping. The Bill, as a whole, is a disaster on homelessness. It is critical that we enable those in urgent need to acquire the social housing or emergency accommodation they desperately require. The Bill makes it more difficult on both counts. We have seen a 50% increase in tenancy termination notices, and homelessness figures have risen to over 17,000. That number will continue to rise. We know it is not the full figure, as it does not include people who are rough sleeping, couch surfing or in refuges.”
“Fáilte roimh an Aire. It is long overdue for the Government to enact changes to ensure that the implementation and enforcement of relevant Department circulars are put on a statutory footing, so some elements of this Bill are tentatively welcome. However, we have significant concerns that the legislation may make it more difficult for those who are entitled to access social housing to access it, by increasing and complicating the criteria they have to meet. Most concerningly, the amendments rushed through the Dáil last night codify the strict, arbitrary rules on eligibility and access to emergency accommodation. Vulnerable people will no longer have access to the safety net used by local authorities before these changes to protect them from rough sleeping.”
“Everybody in Ireland now needs to come out and support these women, their families, the survivors and those affected. We need a collective response. We need all eyes now on this. We need Senators to speak to their political parties in relation to it. We need cross-party support. We need the Taoiseach and Tánaiste to come out on this issue. They have both made statements on it in the past. We do not need words; we need action.”
“This is happening in his constituency of Cork South-Central. He needs to act on this issue. He needs to come out today and make a statement on the matter. He needs to make a plan to compulsorily purchase this site. It should be in public ownership. It is a site of conscience, historical importance and education and, above all, it is a memorial place. We know there are remains of babies in this site. We cannot allow apartments to go ahead. Can Senators imagine if we built apartments over Tuam? We see what happened in Tuam and what was uncovered. Can Senators imagine if we had concreted over that? That is what we are looking at, potentially, in Bessborough. I will stand with survivors. I will not stop campaigning in relation to this.”
“I do not even know where to begin. I will start by saying that I am sick to the pit of my stomach at the decision this morning to grant planning for apartments on the Bessborough site. Approval has been given for the building of 106 apartments there. We absolutely need to oppose this. The Taoiseach needs to come out of the woodwork on this issue. He cannot hide behind a planning process any more. The State should step in to compulsorily purchase this site. We are putting shame on top of shame when it comes to survivors and their families. The whole country colluded against these women. Some 19,000 women, babies and infants passed through this site and the country as a whole acted like shame was justice. The shame lies with the State, however. This is Micheál Martin’s second time as Taoiseach.”
“We need to make it bend because what is happening is that too many people in the world are turning a blind eye to genocide and to the rogue state of Israel, which is committing crimes against humanity. We will be judged as the politicians of our time. It is one of the biggest global issues of our time as public representatives and this is a time to do as much as we can. We are so far removed from it here. This is the absolute least that we can do as a country. This country has suffered under colonial oppression and bears that in its own DNA. To look away from Palestine, to not do everything we can, is to look away from our own history and our own DNA. We need to act further on this issue.”
“I have heard references to "practical challenges" and "frameworks" around decisions. Those words were used. Future generations will not judge us on what was administratively convenient. They will judge us on what was the right thing to do. I have said a million times that we will be judged by future generations when they ask us what we did. I do not think that we are doing enough. I do not know if it is the Minister's personal preference but I do not think that the Government, as a whole, is doing enough in this regard. We have clear obligations from the International Court of Justice, ICJ, in relation to this. It is absolutely crystal clear that this is not going far enough. They say that the arc of history bends towards justice, but ultimately it only bends if you make it bend.”