Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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On 29 March last, the Government approved high-level proposals for a National Centre for Research and Remembrance to be located on the site of the former Magdalen Laundry on Sean McDermott Street in Dublin 1.

The Centre will stand as a site of conscience, and will be a national memorial to honour equally all those who were resident in Mother and Baby Homes, Industrial Schools, Reformatories, Magdalen Laundries and related institutions. It will comprise the following:

- a museum and exhibition space, the development of which will be led by the National Museum of Ireland;

- a research centre and repository of records related to institutional trauma in the 20th century, which will form part of the National Archives; and

- a place for reflection and remembrance.

As part of the development of the site, social housing units, local community facilities and educational facilities will also be constructed. The inclusion of these facilities will make a valuable contribution to the social and economic development of Dublin’s north-east inner city.

While physically situated in Dublin, the Centre will be accessible for all survivors, whether in other parts of Ireland or abroad. It will provide digital access to records and exhibits, as well as developing physical presences elsewhere, including in conjunction with some local museums, to enable survivors to visit more easily. In this way, the Centre will be a national institution, which achieves a global and national reach, as well as having strong connections to, and benefits for, the local community.

The creation of the Centre is a major, multi-annual project. In April 2022, a Steering Group, comprising the key State stakeholders involved in the development of the Centre, was established. This Group is chaired by Martin Fraser, former Secretary General to the Government and current Ambassador of Ireland to the United Kingdom.

The Group is responsible for developing the overall vision of the Centre and providing strategic oversight for the design, development, coordination and implementation of the composite elements. Under the leadership of the Steering Group, timelines for the development of the Centre, and the future operational and governance structures, are currently being developed. Detailed proposals on these matters will then be brought to Government for approval.

In July of this year, Dublin City Council voted to transfer ownership of the site to the Office of Public Works. To address urgent structural issues, and to facilitate building surveys, some necessary maintenance and remedial works by the Office of Public Works, have commenced on the site.