Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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430. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the Commission of Inquiry for mother and baby homes is scheduled to officially begin; the structure and timeline for various aspects of the inquiry, in terms of oral hearings, and so on; when contact details for the inquiry will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14505/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters was formally established by Government on the 17th February 2015.

A general outline of structures and envisaged timelines is set out in the Terms of Reference contained in Statutory Instrument No. 57 of 2015 but it should be noted that the Commission is completely independent and the precise timing and conduct of its investigations is a matter for the Commission to decide.

The Commission has already begun its work and is currently in the process of recruiting it's own legal and research staff and setting up internal administration systems such as personnel functions, financial control protocols, IT support etc.

At present the Commission can be contacted directly by writing to:

Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes, 73 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2, email info@mbhcoi.ie or by telephone at 01-6445000.

The Commission will also have a dedicated freefone telephone line and I am advised that it will be advertising details of same within the next few weeks.