AQW 9818/22-27

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 10/04/2024
Answered On Date: 24/04/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether they have taken a position on the desirability and viability of a Public Inquiry into Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses.

Answer:

Since the Assembly and Executive’s restoration in February we have reaffirmed our commitment in the House of the previous Executive’s fulsome support and intention to implement the five key recommendations in the Truth Recovery Design Panel’s “Truth, Acknowledgement and Accountability” Report into Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses. This includes establishing an integrated truth investigation, comprising a non-statutory Independent Panel and a statutory Public Inquiry.

The first stage of the investigation has begun with the appointment in April 2023 of a 10-person Independent Panel, comprising 7 specialist roles and 3 victim-survivors. It is our intention to launch a public consultation on issues relating to the statutory Public Inquiry and redress schemes as quickly as possible, following which we will finalise the draft legislation for Executive agreement prior to introduction in the Assembly at the earliest opportunity.