The Dail is to consider apologising on behalf of the State to those abused in Irish orphanages.

The Labour leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, suggested that the party whips meet to agree that time be taken in the House to allow members, on behalf of successive and previous governments, to offer the minimum of a word of apology and give an undertaking that such abuse would not happen again.

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said the matter could be discussed by the party whips. "What went on in these institutions over the years was inhuman and degrading. All of these children were isolated and without help."

He said he hoped such abuse was not happening today. Based on the Kennedy report, those institutions had been closed in 1970, he added. "We have never, as a society, dealt with these things."

Mr Quinn said that if the issue was left to legal advice, they would be told not to say a word because of the fear of compensation claims. "I, for my part and my party, simply want to apologise. And I believe that it is true of everybody else in this House. I am asking the Taoiseach to kill the argument about compensation, ignore it for once, and let this House give a public apology for things which should never have happened."

The question of the State apologising was first raised by Ms Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Labour, South Kerry) who suggested that it was time for such a gesture. "As we all saw last night, those children were in the care of the State and were completely forgotten. I think the least they can get now is an apology."

Mr Joe Higgins (Socialist Party, Dublin West) said that the RTE television programme, States of Fear, had revealed the "most appalling, widespread and systematic" cruelty towards children in industrial schools. He called for the introduction of legislation to set up a commission of compensation and support for the innocent victims of the systematic perversion of justice in this State over many years.

Mr Ahern said that a Cabinet sub-committee had been examining the matter since last year, and it was hoped it would bring forward recommendations shortly. "It is a very serious matter. Irish society has to face up to a lot of the problems of child abuse in the past."

Mr Ruairi Quinn: pressing for State apology