Child abuse march - Politicians show poor leadership

Thousands of people marched yesterday from the Garden of Remembrance, down O’Connell Street, past the GPO, to Dáil Éireann in solidarity with the survivors of sexual abuse in Catholic residential institutions down through the decades.

The city centre came to a dignified and reverential standstill as the marchers passed. This was clearly in support and sympathy. By the time the march reached Leinster House as many as 7,000 people were involved. All decent people have been revolted by the disclosures of the Ryan Report.

If that abuse had happened under British rule, we would never have been allowed to forget what happened. It is therefore important that we should remember these things happened under Irish rule, and that the abusers were mainly members of Catholic congregations. This should be remembered, not in order to punish or victimise those congregations, but to remind people that the horrendous abuse did take place.