Since my appointment as Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, many people have contacted me about their time spent in the institutions under investigation and the impact this has had on them and their families. I want to acknowledge their engagement and their courage in sharing their deeply personal experiences with me. I want to ensure that those centrally involved have a strong voice in the deliberations and decisions that are to come and the Government has endorsed my commitment in this regard.
In recent weeks the volume of contacts increased significantly, primarily from those wishing to express their concern in relation to the published legislative proposals for the Commission's records, and the wider issues of access to birth records and related matters. The concerns primarily related to the issue of access to the archive of the Commission, and were not focused on the substantive purpose of the legislation before the Houses which was to preserve records and ensure that a valuable database could be immediately made available to support former residents.
Recognising that the broader issue of access the Commission's archive, while lying outside the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another matter, Act 2020, was an extremely important one, I committed to detailed engagement with the Attorney General on this matter. The Attorney has already provided important clarifications which should help to address the very important concern raised as it related to access to personal data. I also introduced a number of further amendments in the course of the passage of the legislation, and I believe these changes address a number of other concerns raised.
I know members of both Houses received significant volumes of correspondence on these matters. I do acknowledge and regret the genuine hurt and concern felt by many people across Irish society in relation to this issue. I am determined to take the necessary actions to ensure that these concerns are dealt with in a manner that is timely, appropriate and that is focused on the needs of victims and survivors.
I am committed to protecting the archive of records which I will receive from the Commission on its dissolution early next year and to ensure that the rights of all citizens to access personal information about themselves, under data protection legislation and the GDPR are fully respected and implemented.
My Department will continue to engage closely with the Office of the Attorney General Office and the Data Protection Commissioner, and additional resources will be provided where necessary to achieve this.
I will ensure that, throughout all of this process, engagement and consultation with former residents, their families and advocates will be central to the formulation and delivery of a comprehensive State response to these matters.
