Delays and obstacles manufactured by the Government and State bodies in granting access to records are nothing new. The current Government’s inaction to vindicate the rights of those impacted by mother and baby homes is prefaced by a general disregard for women since the formation of the Irish State. Yet, the Government stood by as the Mother and Baby Homes Commission refused to provide any access to personal records during its five-year investigation. It can be used to request records from the Department of Children and other agencies holding Mother and Baby Homes and related personal records. We call on the Government to respect its EU and international human rights law obligations in response.

Source: Irish Examiner May 03, 2021 05:30 UTC