Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters

National Counselling Service

For anyone who feels they may need professional counselling support, the HSE National Counselling Service is available from Monday to Friday between 9.30am and 5pm. Details of the National Counselling Service and contact details for each area are listed below.

The National Counselling Service is also available to provide counselling for former residents of Mother and Baby Homes who are deaf/ hard of hearing. If you are interested in accessing counselling you can email your local NCS service or have someone contact your local office on your behalf. An appointment will be arranged for you to meet with a counsellor together with a sign language interpreter.

Due to current public health restrictions a face to face appointment may not be possible at present. However, a video session can be arranged.

A webpage with information specifically for former residents of Mother and Baby Homes has been set up by the HSE.

Connect Counselling

Outside of these hours, Connect Counselling provides telephone support. Anyone affected can also directly contact the CONNECT free telephone out of hours telephone counselling and support service where they can talk in confidence with a trained counsellor. This service is generally available between 6pm and 10pm, Wednesday through to Sunday, on 1800 477 477.

If you need to talk to someone now

Free call Samaritans 116 123 or Text YMH to 50808 (Messaging Support Service).

Additional mental health supports provided/funded by the HSE are also available to former residents. Details of these supports are available on www.yourmentalhealth.ie.

Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy service (ICAP)

ICAP run a counselling and psychotherapy service for survivors of institutional abuse which is available to survivors living in Britain. It is funded by the Health Service Executive (HSE), Ireland and is provided free of charge. ICAP have many years of experience in providing psychotherapy for adult survivors of institutional abuse and their families and can be contacted on 0207 272 7906 or email clinicaladmin@icap.org.uk

The Department of Foreign Affairs through the Emigrant Support Programme also provides financial support to a number of organisations in Britain that offer support to survivors including:

• the London Irish Centre, 0207 916 2222 www.londonirishcentre.org
• Irish Community Services 0208 854 4466 www.irishcommunityservices.org
• Leeds Irish Health and Homes 0113 262 5614 www.lihh.org

Details of support services in the United States and the rest of the world

United States

The Coalition of Irish Immigration Centres receive funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs Emigrant Support Programme and provide support to the Irish/Irish American communities they serve. See contact details for local centres.

Outside Britain and the United States

If you are living outside Britain and the United States your local Irish Embassy or Consulate can provide details of organisations who may be able to assist you at this time. Please contact your local Embassy or Consulate for details.

Any person seeking adoption information and tracing services may wish to contact TUSLA by phone at 01 7718500 or by email at info@tusla.ie

Contacting the department

There is also a dedicated telephone information line available for people seeking further information about the publication of the Report. The department’s Information Line can be contacted on 01-6473200 from Monday to Friday 9.30am to 6pm or motherandbabyhomes@equality.gov.ie

The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters was established by Government in 2015 to provide a full account of what happened to women and children in these homes during the period 1922 to 1998.

The terms of reference for the Commission were set out in the order establishing the Commission, S.I. No. 57 of 2015.

The scope of the Commission's remit was broad, and included several specific areas of practice and procedure in the care, welfare, entry arrangements and exit pathways for the women and children who were residents of the named 14 institutions and a representative sample of County identified for investigation.

The Commission was independent in the conduct of its investigations and comprised of Judge Yvonne Murphy (Chair), Dr William Duncan, and Professor Mary E Daly.

The Commission was dissolved on 28 February 2021.

The Commission's website was decommissioned on 11 March 2021. The department has archived content from the site.

The Commission produced 7 Interim Reports:

• First Interim Report
• Second Interim Report
• Third Interim Report
• Fourth Interim Report
• Fifth Interim Report
• Fifth Interim Report with Technical Appendices: Part 1
• Fifth Interim Report with Technical Appendices: Part 2
• 6th Interim Report
• Seventh Interim Report

For information relating to the Collaborative Forum for former residents of Mother and Baby Homes and those with comparable experiences in a County Home, see the Collaborative Forum.

For all statements, Ministerial speeches and press releases relating to Mother and Baby homes see the department's statements, speeches and press releases.

See the department's updates on issues relating to Mother and Baby Homes.

Access the Adoption Authority of Ireland's Information and Tracing services.

The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes Final Report is available at gov.ie/report.

Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes Final Report: Your questions answered (12 January 2021)

Statement by Roderic O’Gorman TD, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Dáil Eireann, 13 January 2021)

Availability of Hard Copies of Mother and Baby Homes Final Report