AQW 7757/22-27

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 28/02/2024
Answered On Date: 29/03/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister when they will provide an apology to the victims and survivors of Historical Institutional Abuse to be read into the record with the Executive in place.

Answer:

The Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry recommended that an official apology should be delivered by the Executive to victims and survivors, wholeheartedly and unconditionally recognising that they failed to protect children from abuse. The Inquiry also recommended that this should be done on a single occasion at a suitable venue.

The official apology was offered on 11 March 2022 by five Executive Ministers - Michelle McIlveen, Conor Murphy, Nichola Mallon, Robin Swann and Naomi Long. The apology was a unique occasion, facilitated by the closure of Parliament Buildings to ensure victims and survivors were able to be present in the Assembly Chamber.

As stated on 4 March during Oral Answers to Questions to The Executive Office, we wholeheartedly associate ourselves with the apology offered to victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse. We hope that this acknowledgement on the official report will complement the apology offered on 11 March 2022.