Victims’ views key to shaping mother and baby homes public inquiry, O’Neill says

Michelle O’Neill said an official statement confirming the opening of a public consultation on the shape of the inquiry, and associated redress scheme, would be made in the Assembly on Tuesday, with the information-gathering initiative opening later in the week.

In 2021, Stormont-commissioned experts recommended that a public inquiry be established to investigate mother and baby homes, Magdalene laundries and workhouses in Northern Ireland.

A non-statutory independent panel was established to allow those who were sent to the institutions, and their families, to give evidence in a less adversarial format.

The panel was also tasked with recovering records and archive items from institutions involved and making recommendations to the Stormont Executive on the format and scope of the public inquiry.

Ms O’Neill told the Assembly on Monday that the public consultation was essential to ensuring that victims and survivors shaped the inquiry.

The First Minister and deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly were due to meet members of a consultation forum of victims and survivors later on Monday to discuss the consultation.

“We remain committed to introducing legislation in the Assembly for a statutory public inquiry and redress scheme as soon as possible,” Ms O’Neill told MLAs.

“It’s important victims and survivors are absolutely at the centre of this, which is why a public consultation on the key policy proposals is essential.”

She added: “This is a major milestone, but there are a number of complex and sensitive issues for us to consider carefully. It’s also important that we listen and hear a wide range of views.

“The consultation will include online and face-to-face events to make sure that as many people as possible have the opportunity to contribute during the 12 week period. And this remains one of the most difficult parts of our past and I think we’re all personally committed to helping to right the wrongs of the past for these victims and survivors.

“So I’m really pleased that we’re now at that stage. But I really want to particularly acknowledge, and will do so again tomorrow, all those that have campaigned for years to get to this point and also to acknowledge that the suffering that everyone endured was traumatic, was terrible, and you’ve waited far too long to get access to truth and accountability.

“It’s so important that we hear all the voices, the voices of birth mothers, adopted adults and family members. They are all critical and absolutely essential to the process. And we’re committed to meeting with the victims and survivors through this process. And I urge them all to engage in it and to make their voices heard.”

A previous academic research study outlined the scale of mistreatment endured by thousands of women and girls in the institutions.

The work, by Queen’s University and Ulster University, found that more than 14,000 girls and women went through the doors of mother and baby homes, Magdalene laundries and other institutions in Northern Ireland between 1922 and 1990.

It found that many were mistreated, held against their will and forced to give up children for adoption.