Simon McGarr: It's time to tell the truth – give survivors their data

Children Roderic O’Gorman's claim that sealing the testimonies of mother and baby home survivors was a data protection issue was wrong and illegal

Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman provoked a fire storm of upset when he announced last October he would seal the mother and baby home records for 30 years. Picture: Julien Behal Photography 

Last October, the Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman announced his plan to have the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Inquiry transfer its invaluable archive of documents and testimony to him. 

He would take possession of them, but then claimed he had to seal the records for 30 years.