Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 June 2023
534. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions being taken by his Department to aid a survivor of abuse (details supplied) to retain their personal records, in light of the recent court order to return them to the Christian Brothers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30597/23]
View answerThrough the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 I specifically legislated for the safeguarding of important "relevant records" in relation to a person who was subject to adoption, boarded out or nursed out arrangements, illegal birth registrations, or who was born in a Mother and Baby or County Home Institution.
The Act also places an obligation on any person in possession of a relevant record to notify the Adoption Authority of Ireland as soon as practicable.
I understand legal proceedings are ongoing and while the conduct of the case remains a matter for the presiding judge, I have raised with the Adoption Authority of Ireland the fact that the provisions of the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 may apply to some or all of the records referenced by the Deputy. I understand the Authority is now considering this matter in terms of the safeguarding of the relevant records in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
On the broader issue of historical records of residential institutions, in March 2022, Government approved high-level proposals for a National Centre for Research and Remembrance to be based at the site of the former Magdalen Laundry on Sean McDermott Street in Dublin 1. The Centre will honour equally all those who were resident in Industrial Schools, Reformatories, Magdalen Laundries, Mother and Baby Homes and related institutions. In addition to a museum and exhibition space and a place for reflection and remembrance, it will also contain a research centre and repository of records related to institutional trauma in the 20th century.
In April 2022, a Steering Group, comprising the key State stakeholders involved in the development of the National Centre, was established. The Group is responsible for developing the overall vision of the Centre and providing strategic oversight for delivery of its composite elements. Work on the creation of the central repository of records to sit within the National Centre is being led by the National Archives under the auspices of the Steering Group.
The National Archives has already commenced a process to identify the range and scale of records that currently exist across relevant Government Departments and State Agencies. It is also embarking on a process to identify the list of organisations/institutions holding relevant records not subject to the National Archives Act and in the ownership, or custody, of private/religious institutions and/or individuals. This will involve an initial survey to get a sense of the scale, nature and condition of records held that might be deemed relevant for research purposes to the core mission of the new Centre.
Following this, a more thorough discussion would be established to address how such records could be appropriately made available over time, and accessible for research purposes in the context of the new archive.
In addition, there will be engagement with survivor and other stakeholder groups to ensure that all possible relevant records which may exist are identified for inclusion in the Centre.
Finally, work on the creation of the central repository is supported by a dedicated Legal and Legislative Subgroup which is considering whether any additional legislative measures are needed to support the creation and management of the archive.
