Fergus Finlay: Sealing of mother-and-baby home records is burying of our shame

The Dáil and the Seanad owe a debt to the women and children involved. They owe them the truth, writes Fergus Finlay

The Little Angels' plot in Bessborough mother-and-baby home, Blackrock, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan

Tue, 27 Oct, 2020 - 07:50

Fergus Finlay is a former political activist and adviser to three governments, the former head of the children's charity Barnardos, a writer and a broadcaster.

Last week, the Houses of the Oireachtas brought shame on themselves. With indecent haste and inadequate scrutiny, they rushed through one of the lousiest, laziest, most insensitive pieces of legislation I’ve ever seen.

And then government TDs and senators rushed out a contrived statement, all saying the same thing: "I never voted for that." This, hours after they had done precisely the opposite.