Council responds to The Executive Office’s Truth Recovery – Public Consultation on a statutory Public Inquiry and Financial Redress Scheme

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has responded to The Executive Office’s Truth Recovery – Public Consultation on a statutory Public Inquiry and Financial Redress Scheme on behalf of Mothers and Children from the district impacted by Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries, and Workhouses.

The purpose of the Public Consultation by The Executive Office (TEO), which is now closed, was to seek views on the policy proposals to inform legislation to establish a statutory inquiry and a financial redress scheme for those affected by Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries, Workhouses and their pathways and practices.

In drafting its response, the Council considered research commissioned by the Department of Health from Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University into the operation of Mother and Baby Homes and Magdalene Laundries across Northern Ireland from 1922-1999. It also consulted with women from Birth Mothers and their Children for Justice NI, a group of mothers and children who have been campaigning since 2013 to get justice for those affected by the mother and baby institutions.

In its response, the Council expressed its disappointment at the length of time taken for an Inquiry and Redress Scheme to take place, with 34 years having passed since the last Mother and Baby Home closed.

The Council states that women and children impacted by these institutions, including those in very rural areas within Fermanagh and Omagh, must receive fair, generous and sincere justice promptly and effectively.

It also puts forward a number of recommendations on appropriate acts of remembrance, memorialisation and acknowledgement, following direct consultation with impacted mothers and children from the district.

The Council’s response also states that an apology is needed from government and the organisations that ran those institutions. The response also calls for the government and relevant organisations to admit that pregnant women should have had the right to give birth to and care for their baby, and that the stigma and shame for these women needs to be removed and replaced with the compassion they were denied.

The Council’s consultation response was agreed at its Policy and Resources Committee on Wednesday 11 September 2024.

While there were no Mother and Baby Institutions and Magdalene Laundries in the Fermanagh and Omagh district, there were women from the district admitted to the eight Mother and Baby Institutions and four Magdalene Laundries across Northern Ireland. The total number of women, from various locations, impacted is estimated to be 13,500.

As well as the statutory Public Inquiry (with legal powers), The Executive Office has appointed a 10-person non-statutory Independent Panel (with no legal powers) to investigate the workings of Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries, and Workhouses in Northern Ireland, and the associated pathways and practices. The Independent Panel is now collecting testimony and welcomes engagement, more information is available from https://www.independentpanel.truthrecoveryni.co.uk/giving-your-testimony.

Additionally, throughout October, the Truth Recovery Independent Panel is hosting a number of in-person drop-in sessions across Northern Ireland, find out more information here https://www.independentpanel.truthrecoveryni.co.uk/.

Health and wellbeing support is available to survivors of Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses through Wave Trauma Centre with the Victims and Survivors Service and Adopt NI. Further information is available from WAVE Trauma Centre (MBMLW) | Northern Ireland (wavetraumambmlw.org).

Interview opportunity

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has engaged with a mother and a child impacted by the institutions, who live in the Fermanagh and Omagh area. Both are happy to consider a media interview to share their story and raise awareness of their pathways to a Mother and Baby Institutions, the treatment they received and how this has negatively impacted their lives. Please note some victims may wish to remain anonymous. Please email consultations@fermanaghomagh.com for further information.