Mother and baby home survivors 'should get legal and psychological help before garda call'

Maureen Considine and Catherine Coffey-Brien of the Cork Survivors and Supporters Alliance laying flowers near the Folly at Bessborough. Ms Considine said: "We would urge anyone considering coming forward now, to discuss it first with a solicitor but also with a psychologist, because many members have felt like they were left in a ‘psychological wasteland’ after being questioned on these issues previously." Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Campaigners have urged survivors of mother and baby homes to seek legal and psychological advice before making any complaint to gardaí in relation to their pregnancy or their time in one of the institutions.

They have also urged gardaí to open a separate investigation into the practice of unregistered burials at mother and baby homes, where in the case of Bessborough alone, the burial place of the majority of the 923 children who died there over the years is unknown.

The Cork Survivors and Supports Alliance (CSSA), which represents dozens of mothers and families linked to Bessborough in Cork, spoke out after garda commissioner Drew Harris’s appeal to former residents of mother and baby homes to contact gardaí to see if criminal investigations into rape, incest or abuse can be launched.

CSSA spokesperson Maureen Considine said: “Some of our members have had bad experiences over the years with gardaí - disclosing sexual abuse to gardaí only for the gardaí to then call the nuns or their school about it. And this happened as recently as the 1970s and early 80s.

We would urge anyone considering coming forward now, to discuss it first with a solicitor but also with a psychologist, because many members have felt like they were left in a ‘psychological wasteland’ after being questioned on these issues previously.

“You need to know 'am I strong enough for this' because it’s not going to be easy.

“And given the burden of proof, and the time span involved - we’re talking in some cases about things that happened 50 and 60 years ago - we just wonder if this is all just lip-service.” 

She made her comments after Mr Harris outlined to the Policing Authority the Garda response to the publication of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby homes final report.

Mr Harris described the report as “harrowing and disturbing” with testimony of pregnant girls as young as 12 being admitted to mother and baby homes.

He said it was clear that serious criminality was engaged in against women and girls, with almost 20% of the residents of these institutions aged 18 and under.

But he said there wasn’t enough detail in the final report to launch any criminal investigation at the moment.

He said members of the specially trained Garda Protective Services Units, who specialise in investigating sexual abuse cases, including cases of historic abuse, have the expertise to assess such complaints, and to determine if a prosecution can be mounted, or if it is likely to succeed.

But he said because possible suspects and potential witnesses may have died, and records may no longer exist, there will be limitations as to what gardaí can do in some cases but that this will be explained to complainants.

Ms Considine urged anyone considering coming forward to think carefully, and to get legal advice.

“Don't go alone. If you don’t have a solicitor, then get one. They can get your records and deal with letters so no-one comes to your house,” she said.

Meanwhile, gardaí say a number of people have already contacted them via the email [e-mail] or the Garda Child Sexual Abuse Reporting Line on 1800 555 222.

Gardaí say anyone who makes contact through these channels will get a personal contact within 48 hours for follow-up.