Written answers

Wednesday, 10 May 2023

Department of Education and Skills

Residential Institutions

Photo of Holly CairnsHolly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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80. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide her response to the finding in a report (details supplied) concerning the priority need for end-of-life care for survivors of institutional abuse; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21918/23]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, there are a number of published reports highlighting the ongoing needs of survivors and the lifelong difficulties they encounter. It is also very important that the views of survivors of institutional abuse are heard in this regard. My Department commenced a structured process of consultation with survivors and the initial phase of this process resulted in the preparation of a report entitled Consultations with Survivors of Institutional Abuse on Themes and Issues to be addressed by a Survivor-Led Consultation Group, which was submitted to the Department in 2019.

The themes and issues identified in this report were subsequently considered by a survivor-led Consultative Forum which was facilitated by professionally qualified facilitators engaged by my Department. The Forum’s final report, which provided a good insight into the areas where survivors feel that supports are required into the future, was submitted to the Department in 2021. I acknowledge the commitment of the survivors who participated in the consultation process.

This work is currently being considered by my Department with input from colleagues from other Departments. Significant resources are being devoted to progressing this, to feed into proposals to Government, which it is my intention to bring to Government shortly. It is also intended to engage further with the Consultative Forum in this regard.

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