Minister Foley publishes Key Reports and Commitments relating to Survivors of Institutional Abuse

• Minister Foley publishes First Annual Report from the Special Advocate for Survivors
• four survivors will be appointed to the steering group for the National Centre for Research and Remembrance
• Minister publishes Report of Survivor Feedback on the National Centre for Research and Remembrance and the report on Steering Group’s Commitments
• Minister also publishes Third Annual Report on the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions

The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, today published four important reports relating to survivors of institutional abuse.

These reports provide a comprehensive picture of the issues of concern for survivors and the actions which have been taken in response.

There is also a new commitment to appointed four survivor representatives to the steering group for the planned National Centre for Research and Remembrance in Dublin to ensure they are included in all the decision-making.

The newly published reports are as follows:

The First Annual Report of the Special Advocate for Survivors

The Third Annual Report on the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions.

The Report on Feedback from Survivors and Affected Persons on the National Centre for Research and Remembrance;

The Response by the Steering Group to the Survivor Feedback Report

The Special Advocate for Survivors of Institutional Abuse, Ms. Patricia Carey, has made a series of recommendations in her first report, including one to include survivors and Affected Persons in all the decision-making about the National Centre for Remembrance.

The commitments published today in response to this feedback and to the Special Advocate’s recommendation include expanding the National Centre Steering Group to include four survivor representatives.

There are also commitments that the National Museum of Ireland of will establish dedicated panels of survivors to inform and co-create the museum element of the National Centre, and a central role for survivors in the governance of the National Centre, once it opens.

Detail on each of the reports being published today is set out below.

First Annual Report of the Special Advocate for Survivors of Institutional Abuse, Ms. Patricia Carey.

Ms. Carey was appointed to the role of Special Advocate for Survivors in March 2024. Operating independently of the Minister and the department, her primary role is to amplify the voices of survivors as a central, essential input to government deliberations on matters which affect them and to promote the collective interests of survivors. Her remit encompasses Mother and Baby Institutions, County Home Institutions, Magdalen Laundries, Industrial and Reformatory Schools and those adopted, boarded out or subject to illegal birth registration.

Since her appointment, the Special Advocate has embarked on a substantive engagement process, meeting and engaging with survivors and survivor groups, as well as with partner and support organisations in Ireland and overseas.

The report, which is to be provided annually, gives a detailed account of her activities, a comprehensive overview of the feedback received and outlines the issues raised by survivors and her recommendations to address them.

Responding to the Special Advocate’s report, Minister Foley stated:

The Special Advocate’s Report and the initial Response to the Recommendations within it can be viewed here.

Report on Feedback from Survivors on the National Centre for Research and Remembrance and the Steering Group’s Commitments

Following a series of engagement events with survivors and affected persons, a report has been prepared, with detailed feedback- in survivor’s own words- arranged in seven key themes. The Steering Group has reviewed this report and committed to actions to address each theme. Most notably, the Steering Group itself – which is responsible for developing the overall vision of the Centre - will be expanded to include four survivor representatives. These representatives will be full members of the Steering Group, alongside the Special Advocate for Survivors and members from government departments and agencies. An open process will be announced shortly to allow survivors and affected persons to express an interest in being one of the survivor representatives on the Steering Group.

Some other key commitments include:

• the establishment of dedicated panels of survivors and affected persons by the National Museum of Ireland, to inform the development of the museum element of the National Centre
• a central role for survivors in the governance of the National Centre, once it opens
• the finalisation of a process to allow survivors and affected persons to share their lived experience – and/or physical items - with the National Museum, if they wish to do so
• the design of a programme to capture and gather survivor’s personal statements or records as part of the institutional records of the National Archives or to deposit them as private papers
• future engagement with local facilities, such as museums and libraries, and travelling exhibitions to ensure people can access museum content from different locations
• ongoing work on the digitisation of records, to allow those who can’t visit the National Centre to access their records

These commitments come as the project moves from the planning into the detailed design and construction phase, following the grant of planning permission in February 2025. The planning permission provides for the redevelopment of the Sean MacDermott Street site to include:

• the main National Centre buildings, that is the Museum and Archive, which will comprise the refurbishment of some existing buildings on site, along with a new high-quality building designed to enclose a Garden of Reflection;
• a newly constructed educational facility for the provision of further and higher education;
• Family and Parenting Support Facilities in two refurbished buildings on site; and
• newly constructed Age-Friendly Universal Design + Social Housing units

It is important to note that the planning permission relates to the overall, high-level, building design and structure. Detail on what will be contained in the main National Centre buildings is not yet decided and, in the meantime, engagement is ongoing with survivors and affected persons, their families and advocates, as well as those in the local community, to ensure the National Centre is informed by those who are most central to the project.

With regard to local community engagement, an open day will be held in July, so that those living in the area can hear about plans for the site.

The feedback report can be viewed here and the related commitments can be viewed here, while progress on their delivery will be tracked on the National Centre microsite – www.gov.ie/nationalcentre.

Third Annual Report on the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions

The creation of the role of the Special Advocate is one important element of the government’s response to the country’s complex legacy of Mother and Baby Institutions as set out in the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. The Third Annual Report on the implementation of the Action Plan is also being published today and details the significant progress made so far in fulfilling the commitments to survivors.

Speaking about the Annual Report, Minister Foley said:

The Third Annual report and all previous reports and updates on the Implementation of the Action Plan can be viewed here, while some highlights from the report are set out below.