Thread by @maeveorourke

It is necessary bearing in mind how many people @cmcgettrick @Ka_ODonnell and I have asked to trust us, and work with us, through the @clann_project and in other ways to respond to Senator's @barrymward extremely serious, disparaging remarks in the Seanad

The Senator has accused us of undertaking 'a sustained and dishonest campaign of misinformation', including creating an email campaign that was 'grossly misinformed'.

We are said to have 'wilfully put out information that has deliberately caused upset, anxiety, hurt'.

I stand over the email campaign at clannproject.org which highlighted the Minister's repeated, clear policy statement that his Department would be sealing for 30 years the entire archive received from the Commission of Investigation. It called on Government to use the Bill

to rectify this policy. We argued the policy was contrary to existing data protection law: something the Data Protection Commission also advised Government, it has since transpired.

As I wrote in thejournal.ie/readme/maeve-o… this policy will have real & immediate consequences.

I argued here irishexaminer.com/opinion/commen… that it would be a simple action and consistent with existing EU law for the Government to amend the Bill to confirm (and instruct the civil service), for the avoidance of doubt, that the archive would not be 'sealed' and that GDPR applies.

The Senator insists that the Bill did not seal the archive. But unless the Minister decides to amend his stance (which I hope he will), Government policy is going to deny all access to everything he receives from the Commission. Is the Government not responsible for its policy?

The Senator made these denigrating comments - which again, I take extremely seriously bearing in mind the enormous responsibility I know I take on by choosing to speak publicly on these matters - after I had recorded a long podcast with him the evening before.

I look forward to publication of that podcast. I look forward to working together with everyone who wants to see justice done for the appalling, systematic constitutional rights violations that were perpetrated and continue to impact upon so many in Irish society.

I believe the Oireachtas needs to legislate to ensure access to information for everyone affected by so-called 'historical' abuse. I think the Ryan Commission archive, McAleese archive & other archives should also be addressed by Minister @rodericogorman's planned consultation.

Debates will get heated and I will be asked to re-consider my views and arguments as much as anyone else. I am not personally affected so can never have as much expertise as people who are, whom I do my absolute best to listen to at all times and whom I work alongside.

I do not accept the Senator's characterisation of our actions in the @clann_project. His comments are harmful and unjustified. I don't believe he would have made them outside of the Seanad. Indeed he did not make them to me on his podcast.