Adoption Rights Alliance, JFM Research, Clann Project Briefing Notes re. the Final Report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation

Abstract

On Tuesday 12 January 2021, the Irish Government will publish the Report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation (MBHCOI). The Government has stated that the Report is 3,000-4,000 pages long. We will be responding comprehensively once we have read the Report in full. We emphasise the importance of listening to survivors, adopted people and other people directly affected. We reiterate our concern, stated since 2015, that the MBHCOI has refused to allow mothers, adopted people or any other person affected by abuse to have access to their personal records held by the MBHCOI or to be heard in public. Since 2015, the Clann Project (which is a collaboration between Adoption Rights Alliance (ARA), Justice for Magdalenes Research (JFMR) and Hogan Lovells International LLP) has been gathering witness statements of those affected by unlawful and forced family separation in Ireland. We look forward to the Government fulfilling its promise of 28 October last to implement our recommendations for personal data access and the creation of a dedicated National Archive of institutional, adoption and other ‘care’-related records. The Clann Project’s updated recommendations to Government are outlined below. These recommendations are consistent with and should be read with the Recommendations of the Collaborative Forum of Former Residents of Mother and Baby Homes.