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Taoiseach Micheál Martin has asked religious orders associated with maternity and children’s homes to make a “financial contribution” to a reparation plan for survivors.
It occurs when it emerged that the report of the Investigation Commission of Homes of Mothers and Babies was sent to the Director of the Public Ministry for review.
Speaking at the report’s release, the Taoiseach said that the Gardaí may “obviously” pursue some of the issues outlined in the commission’s investigation even though a significant period of time has elapsed.
It specifically highlighted that many of the women in the households were under the age of consent when they became pregnant.
The Taoiseach will today make a State apology in the Dáil to the survivors of maternal and child homes.
Yesterday, Mr Martin said that the investigation of 18 institutions for single mothers opened a window into the “deeply misogynistic” culture in Ireland, where there was “severe systematic discrimination against women”.
“We did this to ourselves as a society,” said Mr. Martin, before adding: “We treat women exceptionally poorly. We treat children exceptionally poorly. “
The Children’s Minister, Roderic O’Gorman, echoed his comments saying that the report on the houses shows a ‘suffocating, oppressive and deeply misogynistic’ culture in Ireland before the 1970s. “We have to be honest about it. recognize the responsibility of the State, “he added.
The shocking report claims that Ireland had more women and children living in state-run households for single mothers than anywhere else in the world.
It also finds that 56,000 women were forced to live in shelters since the founding of the state in 1922 because they were abandoned by the parents of their children and their families.
The more than five-year investigation led by Judge Yvonne Murphy found that responsibility for the “harsh treatment” suffered by these women “rests primarily with the parents of their children and their own immediate families,” but was also supported by the State and church.
“However, it must be recognized that the investigated institutions provided refuge, a harsh refuge in some cases, when the families did not provide any refuge,” the report adds.
The heartbreaking report details how 57,000 children were born in homes for mothers and babies until they were closed in 1998. Surprisingly, 9,000 died while in their care.
Even more worrying is that the death rate among children considered “illegitimate” by society was much higher than that of those considered “legitimate,” according to the report.
Between 1945 and 1946, the mortality rate among children in homes was almost twice the national average for those outside these institutions.
The report reveals that local and national authorities were aware of the high infant mortality rates at that time and were recorded in official publications.
The children suffered physical abuse at home and also emotional abuse from local residents in their communities because they were raised in institutions. However, the report does not find incidents of sexual abuse of children.
The women living in these homes suffered emotional abuse and were regularly subjected to “denigration and derogatory remarks”.
“It seems that they were shown little kindness and this was particularly the case when they were giving birth,” the report says.
“The atmosphere seems to have been cold and seemingly indifferent,” he adds.
The women were not offered counseling and warned not to share their stories with other residents.
The commission said there was little evidence of physical abuse of the mothers and no evidence of sexual abuse.
However, it found that 200 women died in these households and more than half (57 percent) were related to childbirth. During the 1950s, there were also a significant number of deaths related to infectious diseases.
The commission raised serious doubts about the lack of intervention by the government and local authorities to address the living conditions and discrimination suffered by those who live in these state-supported institutions.
It also found no evidence that the cabinet discussed the plight of residents of mother and baby homes in the first 50 years after Ireland gained its independence. It wasn’t until the introduction of new adoption laws that some women were able to leave or avoid staying in homes for long.
The introduction of the Single Mothers Allowance in 1973 marked the first time financial support was provided to single women facing these conditions.
At least 1,638 children from the investigated households were placed for adoption, and the vast majority were sent to the United States.
The report includes allegations that a significant amount of money was exchanged between Church authorities and the adoptive parents, but the commission was unable to prove or disprove the veracity of the claims.
At least seven vaccine trials were conducted in homes with children involved in some of the tests without consent.
Irish independent
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