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Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2020

Tuesday, 16 June 2020

Questions (921)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

921. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the final report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11413/20]

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Written answers

I received a Seventh Interim Report from the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) on 03 June 2020. In its short update the Commission says its final report is very close to completion but it has encountered delays as a direct result of Covid-19 restrictions. For this reason, the Commission requested an extension to complete its work in accordance with the provisions of the Commissions of Investigations Act 2004.

Notably, the Commission first advised me that it would require additional time to complete its final report in a phone call the day before it submitted this formal request.

At its meeting on Friday 12 June, the Government agreed to amend the Commission’s terms of reference to provide for the extension sought. The final report is now due to be delivered on 30 October 2020 at the latest. The Government recognises that the public interest is best served by facilitating the Commission to produce an evidence based determination on what happened to vulnerable mothers and children in these institutions. The Commission has engaged with hundreds of former residents in its work and is attempting to comprehensively analyse information at a level beyond what has ever been possible to date.  In agreeing to this further extension, the Government’s priority is to safeguard this substantial work so that the independent Commission can comprehensively address these crucial questions and conclude matters as expeditiously as possible in accordance with the legislative framework.

I know many former residents and their families will be deeply disappointed with this delay.  However, I also know that they will understand the overwhelming impact which Covid-19 and the associated public health restrictions have had on all our lives. My Department used existing channels of communication to ensure that former residents, their families and supporters were the first to be made aware of the new timeframe ahead of this information appearing in the media.

The Deputy may also wish to note that when a Commission submits its final report there are a number of procedural matters which must be addressed before the relevant Minister could seek the approval of Government to publish the report. For this reason there will always be a time interval between receipt of such reports and the separate arrangements for their publication.

I share the wish of all interested parties to see the Commission conclude its work as quickly as possible.

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