Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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574. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of printed copies of the final report of the Commission of Investigation Into Mother and Baby Homes requested by and sent to survivors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4501/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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A printed copy of the Final Report of the Commission is available to any survivor who wishes to have one.

The Report was made available in digital format in the first instance so as to immediately make it available to the widest possible audience. This is particularly important having regard to the sheer size of the report and the challenges which arise in disseminating hard copies, due in part to current necessary public health restrictions.

On the 13th January, my Department issued an email to our contact list of survivors and advocates and posted a notice on my Department's website, to outline how survivors and their advocates could secure a copy of the report. My Department can be contacted at 01-6473200 from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 6pm, or by emailing motherandbabyhomes@equality.gov.ie. There is no charge for any former resident to be provided with a copy of the report.

The Department has an abridged version of the Report, containing the main chapters such as the Executive Summary, Recommendations, and of course, the key chapters containing Survivors’ own stories, for any survivor who requests one. The Department also has printed copies of the full report (comprising six volumes of almost 3,000 pages and weighing 8.5kg) which if preferred, are also available for any survivor who requests one. My Department has limited stocks of both formats but additional copies will be produced to meet demand.

My officials has procuring the services of a third party to deliver hard copies of the full report, hence the need for written consent from individuals. Names and addresses will be processed in full compliance with General Data Protection Guidelines.

When the public health situation permits, the Department will also make available printed copies of the full report in specified public facilities. Further details of these arrangements will be publicised in due course.

As of Tuesday 26th January, the Department has received 196 requests for copies of the abridged version of the report. 191 copies of this have been posted and the remainder will issue this week. The Department has also received almost 400 requests for copies of the full report. Approximately 50% of these requesters have given consent for their contact details to be shared with our distribution supplier and sufficient copies to meet this demand have been provided for distribution. Deliveries of the full report are expected to commence this week. Arrangements are being put in place for the printing of additional copies to meet the anticipated demand for the full report.