Survivors of abuse in Northern Ireland are entitled to feel aggrieved at the shabby way they have been treated by government since the publication of the Historical and Institutional Abuse (HIA) inquiry report almost three years ago.
Despite clear recommendations on compensation and support measures for those who were badly let down as children, there has been an inordinate level of foot dragging on the implementation of the report.
Movement has been bogged down in delay even though it is that rare thing, an issue that commands cross-party support with a unusual degree of unanimity.
The previous secretary of state Karen Bradley had been criticised for failing to progress the matter during her tenure but there were hopes that under her successor Julian Smith, the bill would finally pass into legislation.
However, it looked this week as though survivors' hopes were set to be dashed yet again with the decision to call a general election.
With time running out, there was a dramatic intervention on Wednesday by Lord Hain, a former secretary of state, who tabled an amendment in the Lords to have the bill sent to the Commons in an effort to have it expedited before the dissolution of parliament.
Even so, there was little sign that the government was prepared to push the legislation through by close of play early next week.
Lord Hain was scathing of the Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg, saying his approach was 'just not good enough.'
In a last-ditch appeal to the government, the campaign group Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse (Savia) wrote an open letter to Boris Johnson urging him to 'do the right thing' and fast-track the legislation.
The fact that victims are having to push so hard for something that they fully deserve is an indictment of how this matter has been handled by the authorities.
Rather than having to make urgent appeals to the prime minister against the clock, this issue should have been resolved months ago.
For Mr Johnson to tell MPs this week that the 'most powerful way' to address the issue would be to get Stormont up and running again, was frankly insulting.
Victims and survivors of abuse who have waited too long already are entitled to better.
