Rights groups welcome move to set up inquiry

Adoption, children’s and human rights organisations have welcomed the decision by the Department of Children to set up a statutory commission to investigate practices, deaths, illegal adoptions and vaccine trials at the country’s mother-and-baby homes.

Groups welcomed the fact that the commission’s statutory footing meant it would be able to compel witnesses to attend and organisations to provide documentation. Many of the groups also commented that successive governments had known about abuse at these homes for years.

Adoption Rights Alliance chairwoman Susan Lohan said that Minister for Children Charlie Flanagan’s announcement appeared to “answer everything we were looking for” but said that “these matters could have been dealt with decades ago” as various groups had lobbied for their investigation. These thoughts were echoed by Amnesty International Ireland executive director Colm O’Gorman who said successive governments had been made aware of concerns about mother-and-baby homes.