Mother and Baby Homes NIE
“These appalling institutions were the dying vestiges of a mediaeval inhumanity which masqueraded as places of refuge for vulnerable women. The title ‘Mother and Baby Homes’ is a complete misnomer. They ought to be retitled ‘Mother and Baby Separation Factories’”. (Owen Beattie, Associate, Solicitor, KRW LAW LLP)
Following criticism of the work and the report of the Commission of Investigation on Mother and Baby Homes in Ireland, KRW LAW LLP (KRW) made submissions to the Department of Health that a human rights compliant investigation into Mother and Baby Homes in Northern Ireland should now be established.
Today the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) published research carried out by QUB and Ulster University. The report examined 10 homes and four launderies with 10,640 women and young girls passed through the doors of the homes and over 3,500 others were residents of the launderies.
The report will intensify the demand for a human-rights compliant public inquiry into the systemic abuses that occurred in Mother and Baby Homes in Northern Ireland and the extent of collusion between those charged with administering these institutions and those charged with funding and regulating them including local authorities and the medical profession.
The OFMDFM in their statement said they were committed to “a victim-centred independent investigation into these historical institutions” and “This will be co-designed with victims and survivors and will give them the opportunity to influence the aim of the investigation, how it should be conducted, who should participate in, who should chair it and how long it should take.”
This must be human rights compliant statutory public inquiry with the effective participation of all victims and survivors.
Owen Beattie continued:
“We act on behalf of many survivors who were born or resident in Mother and Baby Homes in this jurisdiction. We reiterate the demand for a statutory public inquiry into these institutions which will give an investigative platform for victims to effectively participate.
We also intend to make a formal representation to the PSNI seeking an urgent criminal inquiry into the mistreatment and abuse of our clients in these homes”.