Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes. This is an extremely difficult and disturbing aspect of our country's past and it is important that we get to the truth. At the outset, I want to commend the Minister, Deputy, Zappone, and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs on their work. I welcome last December’s publication of the third interim report and I believe the Government’s decision to extend the time sought by the commission to be the right one. In my view, the public interest will be best served by allowing additional time for the commission to conclude all relevant lines of inquiry.

It is important that the commission is allowed more time to enable it to provide an opportunity for people who are waiting to share their experiences to do so. The fact that a number of support groups have also sought more time for the commission to complete its work is further evidence in support of extending the time period.

I understand that analysis of all relevant records will not be completed until the middle of 2018. All of the detail which will be uncovered during the investigation will play a vital role in providing a true reflection of the events and experiences of the time. With regard to the issue of extending the terms of reference into any further matters, I agree with the commission and the Minister that this approach would not be in the public interest at this time. It is important that the work currently under way by the commission is completed in order to establish what happened to women and their children in these institutions.

I welcome the Minister’s decision to establish a collaborative forum which will directly support and empower former residents who want to actively contribute to decisions on matters which affect their lives. As the Minister said last December and again during her contribution to this debate, the collaborative forum is an innovative participant-centered response to the theme of "Nothing about us without us”, which emerged from the facilitated consultations.

I agree with the Minister’s recognition of the necessity for sustained engagement with the former residents on a number of key issues pending the completion of the independent commission’s work. While separate to the work of the independent commission, a number of tangible measures will be developed and progressed in parallel to the independent investigation. I want to congratulate Mr. Gerry Kearney on his appointment as chair of the collaborative forum and wish him well in his work. I note that it is intended that the 20-member collaborative forum will meet on a monthly basis for a period of at least a year once it has been constituted, as outlined by the Minister.

The Minister previously indicated her commitment to invite the United Nations special rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence to come to Ireland and reiterated this view in her contribution to this debate. I share the Minister’s belief that the special rapporteur can assist us in our efforts to get to the truth and can help us to map out how best to move forward in dealing with our past. In this regard, I welcome the Minister’s confirmation that an invitation has been extended.

I acknowledge the work of the international experts who produced a technical report advising of five options following the tragic findings in Tuam in March 2017. The appointment of such a team was essential to ensure any action taken on the site of the former mother and baby home was in line with international best practice. The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes is performing an essential role in getting to the truth about our tragic past. We as a country and a society have an obligation to get to that truth, and in order to get to that truth we need to allow those who have been affected so traumatically to give their experiences.

In conclusion, once again I commend the Minister, Deputy Zappone, and the commission of investigation on the approach they have taken on this most important issue. I look forward to completion and publication of the final report next year.

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