I want to say what is abundantly clear: the failures for children with spina bifida and scoliosis represent a major scandal and the investigation and review of that scandal needs to be comprehensive. Families have been failed for far too long with too many broken promises. Therefore, nothing should get in the way of full truth and delivering on promises made. I welcome progress made on the Michael Shine case but it is hard to celebrate the appointment of a senior counsel to carry out a scoping exercise because the story is very familiar. Allegations against Michael Shine first emerged in the 1970s, before we were even born. They continued throughout the seventies, eighties, nineties and 2000s. Victims have come forward and any of us who have met those victims knew this represented another scandal. The cover-ups that had to have been involved to allow this man to commit the crimes he committed over such a long time deserved to be investigated and now we are getting there. I welcome the fact we have a scoping exercise. I sometimes fear scoping exercises are delaying tactics. I hope it is not the case in this instance. I have huge respect for Lorcan Staines. After so many years and so many Members of this House - I am thinking of Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin, Arthur Morgan, Gerry Adams, Imelda Munster, current Louth Deputies and others - repeatedly demanding a thorough investigation, I hope the victims will finally get to the truth.

Sentiment score: 0.11