Dead right, Norma Foley. Survivors of mother and baby homes are upset — or downright furious to put it better — by the news that just two out of eight religious bodies are willing to make a financial contribution to the mother and baby homes redress scheme.
It had been flagged last week the religious orders were being very shy in opening their wallets. But on Tuesday, it was confirmed that once again the religious bodies which ran the country's mother and baby homes — and all the shameful practices that went with these 'homes' — were refusing to pay up.
This is just another kick in the teeth for the survivors of these institutions and their families. The news emerged at the same time the Irish public learned of the appalling goings-on in Children's Health Ireland (CHI) — where non-medical grade springs were inserted in the bodies of children.
I suppose there is only so much national outrage to go around — and understandably most of it was directed at CHI and the HSE on Tuesday, more so than the greedy religious orders.
But spare a thought for all the women and men in this country — and in the UK and beyond — who went through these homes. Had babies taken from them, were made to work for nothing, shame heaped on them, their records destroyed.
And it should be remembered that for years, religious bodies have run rings around the government when it comes to paying redress. Cast your minds back to the holier-than-though former education minister Michael Woods and the deal he struck with 12 religious orders for abuse which capped their liability at €128m.
While Woods denied any Opus Dei membership, he did say his Catholic faith made him more acceptable to the religious he was dealing with. And so, the legal experts, including then AG Michael McDowell, were left outside the door, together it seems with any sense of cop-on, and a deal was struck.
A deal later described by then Labour leader Pat Rabbitte as "extraordinarily negligent and profligate" and one that would come back to haunt the taxpayer.
So what happens next now that the religious have said their latest no?
Well the Government had pledged €800m for a redress scheme. It had hoped the religious orders would cough up €267m towards this. Given the difficulties with that scheme in getting elderly survivors to apply — and then putting them through the ringer for their few bob — it seems the Government may not have to pay out anything near that figure.
But that's not the point. This whole thing was meant to be about compassion (with a capital C, like Christianity, the Church (both Catholic and Church of Ireland). It was meant to be about saying a meaningful sorry to the survivors.
Children's minister Norma Foley is encouraging the Catholic church and the Church of Ireland to "pause and reflect" and “do the right thing". Taoiseach Micheál Martin told the Dáil he was "disappointed" only two religious orders were willing to pay anything.
Ms Foley told reporters at Government Buildings: "It behoves all of us who have a place of responsibility within those orders and institutions to ensure that the right thing is done.”
Sit up Catholic Ireland, perhaps you could put pressure on them to loosen the purse strings. But after years of talks, and attempts by Sheila Nunan, a former trade unionist and pretty skilled in the art of negotiation, I think it is time to abandon the gentle art of persuasion.
My solution is for the State to adopt a more aggressive approach than they have done heretofore. Like Revenue and the property tax, where they ask you nicely, and then just take it when you don't pay.
Norma Foley, in fairness, has asked Attorney General Rossa Fanning to examine whether the State could take further steps, but I think we all accept this means nothing much more will be done. Maybe a bit of 'naming and shaming' might help?
So, in the good corner, a shout out to the Sisters of Bon Secours who have agreed to stump up €12.97m in cash. A polite hand clap for the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul who have offered up a property by way of compensation.
The Sisters of St John of God — I'm not sure which category to put you in. You made an offer, but it was a “conditional” offer of a €75,000 donation, which the minister did not accept. OK, onto the naughty step with you.
And so for the other five — the Good Shepherd sisters; the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary order; the Sisters of Mercy; the Legion of Mary lay order; and the Representative Church Body of the Church of Ireland — I say shame on you. Shame on you.
As Norma Foley said: "Making reparation in terms of finances, that will never ever wipe away what was endured, what was suffered by women and children here. It never will, but it is a step of reparation. It’s an acknowledgment. I think the Pope himself has been very clear where he talks about church and state doing."
And for anyone who says we shouldn't blame the religious orders, they were only doing the State's work. Let's not forget, many of them made money out of this, a lot of money selling children through 'adoptions' — particularly to wealthy families in the US.
You kept ledgers, with figures next to babies' names.
Yes, you Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary order, who ran Bessborough, I saw the ledger you kept on my mother, the figures next to her name, the £40 handed over.
So you owe these survivors and their families.
For God's sake, do the right thing.