Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Aontaím leis an Teachta maidir leis an méid dímheas a léiríodh do na máithreacha agus na leanaí a bhí sna tithe seo i rith na mblianta agus ó thosach. Is olc an scéal é ar fad ar fad agus níl aon dul as sin. Dá bhrí sin, caithfimid uile ár ndícheall a dhéanamh sa lá atá inniu ann ardmheas a léiriú do na máithreacha agus na leanaí, agus gach aon ní gur féidir linn a dhéanamh. Sin an fáth go bhfuil an tAire ag déileáil leis na grúpaí atá ann agus leis na daoine atá fós ag maireachtáil chun cóir agus tacaíocht a thabhairt dóibh agus, mar aon leis sin, níos mó a dhéanamh chun eolas a thabhairt dóibh maidir leis na records agus mar sin de.

Specifically, the Minister has written to the commission in respect of the audio recordings and tapes that were destroyed. The Deputy is correct that the commission says it guaranteed anonymity at the time and that, as part of that, it decided to destroy the records. The commissioners are saying that they made that clear to the survivors. However, I spoke to the Minister this morning and we noted that in the leaflets that were issued to the survivors there is no reference to the destruction of tapes at all or that tapes would be destroyed. The Minister has written to the commission asking if it is in a position to retrieve the tapes or if there is some technological way of doing so. He has not, to my knowledge, gotten a response yet.

My understanding is that the commission is engaging with the Data Protection Commission on this issue and parallel to this, the Minister is very anxious to be in a position to get the archives from the commission in order that he can accelerate access to personal information. People may request their own personal information or the rectification of records and the Minister is anxious to facilitate that as quickly as we possibly can. That is something that is part of this process as well. The Minister was eager, prior to this emerging as an issue, for the archives to move over to him in order that he could give people access to valuable personal information, which is a very basic and urgent request, and for the right to rectification under Article 16 of GDPR to be vindicated and facilitated as well. He is awaiting a response to that correspondence and I will speak to him about his capacity to publish it. That is essentially what he has written to the commission about these tapes. Meanwhile, he is working towards the legislation on information and tracing, which will be ready by the end of March or early April and the interdepartmental group will report on redress by the end of April.

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