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Updated 30 minutes ago
MINISTER RODERIC O’GORMAN has written to survivor groups to say that he is “deeply angry” that details of the Home for Mother and Baby Commission report were leaked to the media before sharing with survivors. and families.
The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth said he was “very sorry” that the survivors had learned the details of the report in this way, adding that “it is not acceptable.”
The Sunday Independent reported today that the Mother and Baby Household Investigation Commission report has found that 9,000 children died in the only 18 institutions investigated.
The newspaper also revealed that Taoiseach Micheál Martin would apologize on behalf of the state and “society at large” to the Dáil on Wednesday, citing a statement from the Taoiseach saying the report was “shocking and difficult to read.”
Survivors said they were hurt and angry, but “not surprised” by the media leak; and what was causing great anguish to the survivors.
In correspondence seen by TheJournal.ieO’Gorman said today that it was always his intention that survivors should first hear the findings of the Commission’s report.
This would be done through an online forum hosted by the Taoiseach on Tuesday, following a cabinet meeting.
“My Department will involve colleagues from across the government to ensure that no further information is released until the official release on Tuesday.”
The opposition reacts: the escape is ‘shocking’, ‘appalling’
Several opposition TDs have called for the origin of the leak to be established.
TD Richard Boyd Barrett said on RTÉ Radio that it was “really shocking” that there was another mishandling of the Home for Mothers and Babies investigation, and said it speaks to the “desperate mishandling of the bill” and the “retraumatization” of the victims. through that controversial bill.
He called for an investigation into how “the heck this information got leaked.”
Sinn Féin spokeswoman on childhood, Kathleen Funchion, described the leak as “insensitive, inappropriate and horrifying.”
“Survivors have already been subjected to considerable distress and trauma, and the Government has a duty to treat their concerns with respect and sensitivity so that they have confidence in this report.
“I am pleased that the Minister for Children has condemned this leak. Now you need to make sure your Department establishes who leaked this document and how, so that you can make sure the appropriate action is taken.
“The Minister must learn from this and redouble his efforts to respect the needs and concerns of the survivors,” Funchion said.
Social Democrats spokeswoman for children Jennifer Whitmore said it was “extremely disappointing” that the report was leaked and asked O’Gorman to investigate how the leak happened.
Whitmore said the leak of the details contradicts the process outlined to the Dáil on Dec. 3, when O’Gorman said:
“The plan is that he will go to Cabinet that week, and after the Cabinet meeting, the Taoiseach and I will host an exclusively survivor webinar where we will discuss and draw the main conclusions from the survivor report.
“Only after that point will it be available. We will hold a press conference for the general public, but we will first contact the survivors and tell them about it first. “
Whitmore said the minister must now establish how he will consult with survivors to ensure that the assurances made about how the report will be released are upheld.
The Commission was established in 2015 to investigate the treatment of women and children in 14 maternal and child homes and four county homes, a sample of the total number of homes, between 1922 and 1998.
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The long-awaited report from the Home for Mother and Baby Commission, which has been delayed several times, will be released on Tuesday.
With reporting by Órla Ryan and Gráinne Ní Aodha
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