Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

809. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the timeline for implementation of each of the recommendations from the First Annual Report of the Special Advocate for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Homes Institutions, the report on feedback from Survivors and Affected Person on the National Centre for Research and Remembrance, and the response by the Steering Group to the Survivor Feedback Report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38975/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The First Annual Report of the Special Advocate for Survivors of Institutional Abuse was published on 24th June. The Report provides a comprehensive overview of the feedback which the Special Advocate, Ms. Patricia Carey, and her team have received and outlines in detail the issues raised by survivors and the Special Advocate’s recommendations to address them.

The issues raised in the Report relate to access to records, the scope of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payments Scheme, supports for survivors, memorialisation and others. Officials in the Department have reviewed the recommendations contained within the Special Advocate Report and prepared an initial response document which outlines progress to date and future plans to address the issues raised where possible – this document is available to view online through the following link .

Many of the issues raised are already being addressed through the delivery of Government's Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. Of the 22 commitments contained therein, 13 are completed and 9 are in progress. Government appreciates the urgency and sensitivity of these issues and will continue to work with the Special Advocate to address them where possible.

The National Centre for Research and Remembrance will honour equally all those who spent time in Industrial Schools, Magdalen Laundries, Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions, Reformatories, and related institutions. The Feedback Report published in June outlines detailed feedback, from the in-person engagement events, held between October 2024 and February 2025, with survivors and affected persons. Feedback is arranged into seven key themes. The Steering Group reviewed this report and committed to actions to address each theme which will help to inform the ongoing work on the National Centre, and future engagement as the project progresses.

Most notably, the Steering Group itself will be expanded to include four survivor representatives. These representatives will be full members of the Steering Group, alongside the Special Advocate for Survivors and members from Government departments and agencies. An open process will be announced shortly to allow survivors and affected persons to express an interest in being one of the survivor representatives on the Steering Group. This open process will also include an expression of interest for survivors and affected persons to join the dedicated panels established by the National Museum of Ireland, to inform the development of the museum element of the National Centre.

The National Archives will develop a programme to engage with survivors and affected people to contribute their own personal statement or record to the National Collection. An open call will issue in early 2026 from the National Archives to all survivors and affected persons interested in providing a personal statement or record to form part of the National Collection.

Both the ongoing development of a National Centre for Research and Remembrance and the services of the Special Advocate are key elements contained within the Action Plan. Government is fully committed to the continued implementation of the plan, however, some of the actions are major, multi-annual initatives which will take time to complete.