Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2020
755. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason he indicated on 20 May and 3 June 2020 that the report into Tuam Mother and Baby Home would be published on 26 June 2020, in view of the fact on 12 June 2020 it was announced the report would be delayed by a further six months; and if his attention was drawn to the fact on 20 May 2020 that the publication of the report would be delayed. [12897/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra756. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a guarantee will be given that the publication of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home report will not be delayed further in view of several postponements to its publication, the most recent due to the Covid-19 crisis. [12898/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 755 and 756 together.
The information which my predecessor provided to the House on both 20 May and 03 June in response to parliamentary questions on the expected delivery of the final report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters by 26 June was correct and accurate.
Notably, the receipt of an update from the Commission on the 03 June was signalled in the response of the same date. My predecessor indicated that the correspondence would need to be considered in conjunction with her then Government colleagues. In its short Seventh Interim Report, which was subsequently published on 12 June, the Commission says its final report is very close to completion but it had 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.
At its meeting on 12 June, the then 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, and not six months as indicated by the Deputy in her question.
In granting these extensions, the then Government considered that the public interest was 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 been possible to date. In agreeing to another extension of time the priority was 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.
With regard to the nature of the guarantee sought by the Deputy, it is important to clarify that a Commission of Investigation is independent in the conduct of its investigations. It must of course operate within its terms of reference and the previous Government, in granting the extensions sought, had been satisfied that the Commission was using its best endeavours to conclude its report on this painful period in our history.
The Deputy should 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 understand that many former residents and their families will have been deeply disappointed with the Commission's need for additional time. I know that they understand that this Commission is investigating personal and sensitive matters which happened over a period of more than 75 years. So there are multiple lines of inquiry being pursued in the course of this complex statutory investigation.
My Department will continue to use existing channels of communication to ensure that former residents, their families and supporters are the first to be know of any developments in respect of these matters. I share the wish of all interested parties to see the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matter to conclude its work as quickly as possible.
