Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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794. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which records maintained by the former Department of Local Government and Public Health from 1924 to 1947 are in the possession of his Department including the powers and functions intended to be vested in his Department in the coming weeks; if these records contain information relating to payments made by the State to religious institutions in return for those institutions taking individuals deemed in need of institutional care such as that provided by mother and baby homes, Magdalen Laundries, children's and orphans' homes and related institutions; if he will undertake to determine the fullest extent to which these records exist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32413/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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My Department does not have power or possession of the records to which the Deputy refers.

The work of the Inter-Departmental Group on Mother and Baby Homes has concentrated on the potentially most salient records which might be of assistance and accessible in the time available so as to inform Government's considerations of the scope and format of the Commission of Investigation. The contribution from a number of Departments and Offices to this work included their assessment of some of the primary records in their possession.

The Commission of Investigation into the concerns relating to the Mother and Baby Homes, once established, will have the requisite statutory powers to compel the production of relevant records in accordance with the provisions of the Commission of Investigations Act, 2004. The extensive process of assembling relevant records will undoubtedly will be required to be undertaken by relevant Departments in due course in accordance with the requirements of the Commission.