Written answers

Wednesday, 13 February 2019

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Photo of Seán SherlockSeán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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49. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason the report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes has not been published. [7073/19]

Photo of Katherine ZapponeKatherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes has issued four interim reports to date. I have published all four reports.

The Commission submitted its Fourth Interim Report in December of last year. In it the Commission advised that it would not be able to issue its final report within the previously agreed time frame and requested an extension of one year to allow it to complete its work in full. Government has agreed to this extension request and the Commission is now due to complete its work by February 2020.

In my view the public interest, and most importantly the interest of former residents, is best served by facilitating the Commission to conduct the comprehensive analysis required to make accurate and robust findings on the extensive range of sensitive issues before it.

It is important to acknowledge that the terms of reference for the Commission envisages multiple lines of inquiry relating to a number of quite different institutions over a period of more than three quarters of a century.

When I met with Judge Yvonne Murphy I was reassured by the Commission's absolute commitment to establish the full facts of what happened to women and children in these institutions.

I accept that the Commission is using its best endeavours to conclude the investigation as quickly as possible. The Chair wants to conclude matters, and I know the Deputies in the House want the same.

It is clear that the Commission is seeking to collate and analyse information on these institutions at a level of detail that has never been done before. This will greatly assist public understanding and hopefully assist individual citizens in relation to their personal story and experience.

If a decision had been made not to grant the extension sought, the Commission would effectively be obliged to submit incomplete reports this month.

I am of the view that while the delay is disappointing, there were strong public interest considerations in favour of granting the extension sought. I recommended the granting of the extension of one year to bring certainty to the time frame and to facilitate the production of the comprehensive analysis and information envisaged in the terms of reference.

The Commission has undertaken to submit its report on burial arrangements for people who died in these institutions by 15th March.

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