Exasperation and disbelief: Victim shakes her head at SF leader

"I wish Maíria well, I hope she finds happiness". With these words from Sinn Féin leader, Gerry Adams, the woman at the centre of yesterday’s there and a half hour Dáil debate threw her hands up in the air and shook her head in disbelief.

Maíria Cahill was sitting in the public gallery — positioned where she could stare directly down at the man she claims put her “through further trauma” by refusing to accept her claims that she was subjected to a “kangaroo court” inquiry about her abuse at the hands of a senior IRA figure.

Up to this point, she had maintained a steely expression as the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Fianna Fáil leader and other TDs stood up to deliver powerful speeches which detailed her own harrowing ordeal when she was abused at the age of 16.