Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The announcement two weeks ago of a commission to investigate mother and baby homes is another step we have to take to deal with the failures of the past. These reports help us to heal past wounds while giving us opportunities to learn from our mistakes. I think the Minister has found the right chair in Judge Yvonne Murphy, who has proven in the past that she is capable of handling complex and serious issues with sensitivity. She will need this sensitivity as she deals with people who were hurt, abused and traumatised by their experiences in these homes.

However, we must consider not only individuals' experiences in these homes but also, as the report puts it, the exit pathways that led children out of them. Unfortunately, many exit pathways led to more abuse and neglect, with long lasting effects on those affected. It is important that what happened to the children after their time in the homes are investigated and documented and that people who broke the law are brought to justice. I know from speaking with survivors that they deserve no less than the justice they have been waiting for.

I have been fortunate in the past couple of years to work with a group called Mixed Race Irish. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan eloquently outlined the experiences of members of this group in her contribution. The group comprises people who were born to mixed race parents in the Ireland of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and whose births were handled in the only way that official Ireland knew at the time. The babies were taken from their mothers and fathers and put into mother and baby homes, where they experienced harrowing and painful treatment. Many of those concerned have carried their experiences throughout their adult lives. When representatives of the group appeared before the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality last year, they stated that the State singularly and spectacularly failed mixed race children. I have been working with the founders of the group, Carole and Evon Brennan, Rosemary Adaser and Conrad Bryan, to rectify this failing and to find ways for the State to acknowledge its failure. I am aware that the Minister has met these individuals and that he recognises the truth of their story. The group has grown from strength to strength since 2012 and now has over 70 members, many of whom live in the UK. Very few of them stayed in Ireland after reaching the age of majority because they were told bluntly by the managers of these homes that they had no future in this country. They were told that if they stayed here they would find it difficult to get work or meet a partner in life. Many of them had no choice but to emigrate to other countries. They survived and in many cases are dealing well with their experiences growing up in Ireland. In addition to appearing before the joint committee, the group also met a number of Members of these Houses, including several Ministers, and its representatives have conducted local and national media interviews about their collective histories and to reach out to other members of this community who may not be aware of the group's existence. They have shown incredible bravery, fortitude and resilience. I am extremely proud to have worked so closely with them. Their hard work has started to pay off because race is mentioned specifically in the terms of reference for the commission of investigation. I do not believe this would have happened without the hard work done by the Mixed Race Irish group. The terms of reference ask the commission:

To identify...the extent to which any group of residents may have systematically been treated differently on any grounds [religion, race, traveller identity or disability].

This explicit reference to race is a vindication of the group and a recognition of the experiences of mixed race children. This good work needs to continue. I urge the Minister to ensure the commission also includes a separate section on race in its report. We do not want all the grounds mentioned in the terms of reference to be dealt with in one section. It is important that the specific stories of each of the relevant groups are investigated and recognised by the commission. We cannot allow the commission to undo the good work that has just been started by failing to recognise that issue from the outset. I ask the Minister to ensure that the commission meets with members of the Mixed Race Irish group to speak with them about their experiences and to assure them race will be dealt with separately in the report. Such an assurance would go a long way to vindicating their rights and, in the process, helping them to heal. We have an opportunity not only to deal with the unspoken racism of the past but also to shine a light on the racism of today. We have to learn from the past if we are to combat the scourge of racism. The commission affords us such an opportunity.

I commend the Minister on the work he has done to date to prepare inclusive terms of reference. It is a good start to this process and I wish the commission well in its work.

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