The Minister for Children has committed to publication of the 6th interim report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes, but not until the final report is published sometime over the coming weeks.
This was disclosed in a parliamentary reply that I received earlier this evening which I have included below.
It is disappointing that this report was not published in advance of the recent legislation being brought before the Dáil, which I believe would have been helpful.
This is what I said at the time: https://youtu.be/901LuTuniYw
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For Written Answer on : 03/11/2020
Question Number(s): 977,985,987 Question Reference(s): 33691/20, 33836/20, 33859/20
Department: Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Asked by: Thomas Pringle T.D., Patricia Ryan T.D., Denis Naughten T.D.
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QUESTION
* To ask the Minister for Children; Equality; Disability; Integration and Youth when the sixth interim report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes will be made available to Deputies; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Thomas Pringle T.D.
For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 3 November, 2020.
* To ask the Minister for Children; Equality; Disability; Integration and Youth if he will publish the Sixth Interim Report of the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Patricia Ryan T.D.
For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 3 November, 2020.
* To ask the Minister for Children; Equality; Disability; Integration and Youth the reason he has failed to publish to 6th Interim Report of the Mother and Baby Home Commission; when this will be published in view of the public comments of his predecessor; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Denis Naughten T.D.
For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 3 November, 2020.
REPLY
The Sixth Interim Report from the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes was submitted to the then Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in January 2020.
In the report, the Commission sought an extension to the timeframe for completing its work. This request was brought before Government at the relevant time and an extension was approved until June 2020. A request for a further extension was subsequently approved by Government to 30 October 2020.
Although it was a very short report, the Sixth Interim Report nonetheless raised complex legal and practical issues related to the completion of the Commission’s programme of work. In it, the Commission stated that it is obliged to redact sensitive personal information before depositing its records with the Minister. This includes redacting an important and unique database which it has created in the course of its investigation and which would be highly valuable in the provision of statutory adoption information and tracing services.
These issues have required intensive engagement with the both the Commission and the Office of the Attorney General. These were the issues which the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters) Records, and another Matter, Act 2020 was enacted to resolve.
The report itself does not include findings by the Commission on the substantive matters which it was examining.
I will seek Government approval for the publication the Sixth Interim Report in tandem with the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation, to ensure its contents are available for everyone to examine.