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Residential Institutions Redress Scheme

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021

Wednesday, 28 April 2021

Questions (598)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

598. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education the progress of the recommendations made in the Caranua report Facing the Future Together: Discussing Ireland’s Lifelong Responsibility to the Survivors of Institutional Abuse; her plans to fully implement the plan for survivors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22075/21]

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Written answers

As you may be aware, there are a number of published reports and current consultation work highlighting the ongoing needs of Survivors and the lifelong difficulties they experienced due to their childhood experiences in residential care. The report of themes to be explored in further consultation with Survivors of Abuse in Residential Institutions published in August 2019 by the Department of Education and Skills highlighted:

- the increased health needs of an aging population;

- concerns about adequate and suitable housing;

- social supports to counteract social isolation and the need to make services easier to access.   

The “Facing the Future together” conference report produced by the Christine Buckley Centre, Caranua, and others, was launched in October 2020 and identifies the following supports as being particularly important for survivors –  

- medical card,

- family services,

- advocacy support,

- trauma-informed care and

- global support. 

Through an inter-departmental group, the Department is engaging with the other Government Departments who are responsible for these services to scope out how best to provide supports in the future for survivors.  In addition, a Survivor-Led Consultation Group was established during 2020 to engage in a further phase of the consultation process and is meeting on a regular basis using virtual technology. The meetings are facilitated by professionally qualified facilitators who are funded by my Departments.  Matters relating to survivors of institutional abuse identified by survivors, and which are set out in the August 2019 report, continue to be discussed by the Group. I met with the Group in December 2020 to hear about the various issues which had been identified by the Group.

It is expected this consultation process will be concluded shortly.  Their findings will be further considered by the inter-departmental group and their conclusions will feed into my consideration of  proposals to Government in this context.

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