Survivors of mother and baby homes urged to share story for panel
FORMER residents of mother and baby homes are being urged to share their stories so they might be selected for a panel of survivors, the Irish Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone is campaigning to recruit members for the collaborative forum, which will meet over approximately 12 months.
Members will be chosen by a selection panel comprising advocates of the survivors and academics specialising in law and sociology.
Some 19 survivors of the mother and baby homes will be picked to ‘contribute to decisions on matters of concern to them and their families’.
The move to create a positive environment where former residents can share their experiences follows the Irish Mail on Sunday’s exposure of the Tuam babies scandal in 2014.
Research by historian Catherine Corless revealed that up to 800 babies were buried in an unmarked mass grave near a septic tank on the grounds of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home.
The revelation resulted in an outpouring of grief across the world and led to the launch of the commission of investigation into the Church-run homes in 2015.
The new forum is separate to the ongoing commission of investigation, which is expected to complete its work in February 2019.
Founder of the Coalition of Mother And Baby Home Survivors – and selection panel member – Clodagh Malone said the project aims to be as inclusive as possible: ‘We’ve been working very hard on this and we think it will be very fair. A lot of survivors will need preparation for what will come from the commission of investigation and this will pull the community together. We want this to be very inclusive and the application process will be open to a lot of people.’
The forum would like to hear from ‘people with a personal connection and/or interest in these matters’.
The panel is particularly interested in applications from former residents of the homes and those with comparable experience in county homes. Applications from family members and those offering support to former residents are also welcome.
An advertising campaign by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs starts today and will run for two weeks in national and regional newspapers, with details of how to apply.
The panel will meet monthly over 12 months but, according to department documents: ‘The forum may also wish to consider further issues upon the release of the report and recommendations of the commission of investigation.’
The forum has been criticised by former Bethany Home resident Derek Leinster. He said it was set up to delay redress for survivors after it was announced earlier this year that the commission would be given a one-year extension until February 17, 2019:
‘They just want to drag it out. It’s just a game now. They want the collaborative forum to drag it out more after adding a year on for the commission.’
The selection panel is seeking another member after Irish First Mothers representative Fintan Dunne resigned at the panel’s second meeting because of his dissatisfaction with the process.
Application forms can be downloaded from the department’s website and should be submitted by 5pm on Wednesday May 30.
‘We want to be very fair and inclusive’
‘They want to drag it out. It’s just a game ’