Will the Taoiseach clarify when business will be reordered to allow for statements and questions to the Minister? I understand from media reports that he has finally agreed to implement the Ombudsman's recommendations following a scathing report late last year on the Department's administration of the Magdalen laundry redress scheme. The report came on foot of complaints made by 27 women who had been excluded by the Department from the scheme. Even after the investigation was complete, the first instinct of the Department of Justice and Equality was to push back. In evidence to the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality in January the Ombudsman stated that in his ten years as Ombudsman, he had never reached a point where a Department had, prior to publication of a report, absolutely and categorically refused to engage in the process of accepting and implementing the recommendations made. That reflection very much echoes the experiences of the excluded women.

The Deputy's time is up.

A small number of women are awaiting redress. They lack capacity and are particularly reliant on the Department and the Courts Service to support their applications. The Taoiseach's decision to implement the report's recommendations is welcome. The Minister for Justice and Equality-----

The Deputy cannot make a long statement on these matters. A brief question is provided for.

Pardon?

A brief question is provided for, not lengthy statements.

I am not making any lengthy statement.

That is the order of the House. If the Deputy disregards the order of the House, she is being disorderly. Can we, please, conclude?

I think Deputy Micheál Martin spoke twice.

He was doing a comedy routine with his counterpart. May I pose my question?

I ask the Deputy to, please, pose her question.

Thank you so much. I ask the Taoiseach for a timeframe within which the recommendations will be delivered on. I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I will now resume my seat. I thank him for his courtesy.

To reply to the first question, the clerk to the committee is ringing around to make arrangements for this afternoon.

On the Magdalen redress scheme, the Minister for Justice and Equality, the Ombudsman and I met two weeks ago to resolve the matter. The Government fully accepts the four recommendations made by the Ombudsman. We will implement them without further delay. To date, some 700 women have received payments under the scheme, with enhanced health benefits and pensions. Much good has been achieved through the restorative justice scheme. We want to make sure the four issues raised by the Ombudsman will be dealt with. The first is where there is a dispute about how long a woman spent in an institution. We have appointed an independent senior counsel, Mary O'Toole, who has been asked to review all cases and make recommendations. That will be done without unnecessary delay. Her work will start immediately. She will advise us on women who lack capacity due to dementia or other reasons, including being wards of court and unable to accept an award because of a lack of capacity. We will also ensure women who were officially recorded as having been admitted to a training centre or an industrial school located in the same building attached to or located on the grounds of a laundry are included in the scheme. We envisage having that work completed in the next three months. We accept the Ombudsman's recommendation in that regard. There is a difference of opinion between the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice and Equality as to whether this would involve altering or changing the scheme, but I do not think that really matters. What is important is that the women affected receive redress and they will.