I join other Senators in congratulating Ms Bridget Doody on her appointment. I look forward to working with her.

Others have spoken about what we saw in Tuam. It was not shocking because it was well signalled but in terms of the idea of hundreds of babies and children buried in septic tanks, and all of the pain that goes with that, I join those who have called for the commission of inquiry's interim report to be published now. I understand the Government is waiting to have its response in terms of that but we can no longer delay the publication of the interim report. We need to expand the commission's terms of reference to the 180 or whatever number of other institutions that must be included. We must look to questions around the Bessborough mother and baby home, where the mortality rates were shocking and need to be followed up and investigated.

I want to follow up on what Senator Bacik said, which is that as well as the debate we will have this week on Ireland's appalling history of institutional violence in the case of Grace and in the case of the mother and baby homes as highlighted on Thursday, we need to have a wider debate on the culture of denial, the overall history of institutional abuse in Ireland and how it came about. We need a "Why" debate that looks to the patterns of denial, obstruction of justice and the inadequacy of redress.

People have called for an apology from the Bon Secours sisters. We also need compensation. Every order in this country needs to be paying the compensation it should be paying into the funds, which they have neglected. They also need to recognise the moneys made on the backs of those who worked in the Magdalen laundries, for example.

In that same week we had a story that did not get as much coverage. Marie Collins, an Irish survivor of abuse, resigned from the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors because of what she referred to as the shameful resistance she met within the church to acting for the protection of minors and facing up to past abuse.

I concur with Senator Gavan. We need to ask a fundamental question. Is it appropriate that the institutions which are obstructing justice in these areas and have this legacy of abuse would be in charge of institutions such as our health or education services? We, as a State, need to step in and ask that bigger question.

My last question-----

Senator, in fairness-----

This is a technical question just to-----

I warned people about this earlier. The Senator has spoken for three minutes and she had two.

Apologies. We talked about a debate on the future of Europe, and a multi-speed Europe was mentioned again earlier. I will raise the issue directly with the Leader but I would like a debate on that.

A theme coming through this debate is the lack of checks and balances.

There has been a lot of media coverage on the use of cannabis for medical treatment. It is interesting that the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, is being blamed by all for delays on this matter. The Minister had a licence issued in regard to one family in west Cork for the use of cannabis for a young child. That application was supported by the medical consultant. A second application was received on 31 January but it did not have the support of the consultant who was caring for that child.

It is important that we have checks and balances in this matter also. The Joint Committee on Health dealt with this matter this morning at which the CEO of the Health Products Regulatory Authority made it clear that the authority now wants to introduce a five year cannabis access programme. She stated, "Such a programme is necessary both to maximise the safe and effective use of cannabis as a medical therapy for an individual patient and to minimise the potential [negative impact of wider access on society]". She went on to state, "Patients treated with cannabis should be under the care of a medical consultant who has expertise and experience in the treatment of the specified condition, and who is responsible for the monitoring and follow-up of the patient".

The Minister is prepared to give a licence where that is available.

It is important that we stop making false commitments to people to the effect that a licence can be issued and there will be no monitoring. That cannot be done and it would be dangerous to do so. It is extremely dangerous for children. Let us get the truth out there. The licence is available. It is on the basis that suitable monitoring and supervision is available.

The Senator's point is made.