The controversial Mother and Baby homes bill may have been signed into Irish law by the country's president Michael D Higgins but the debate around it hasn't gone away.
There remains plenty of friction over whether those seeking information about themselves will have
to wait 30 years until their records are unsealed .
Such homes were established in the 19th and 20th centuries to house women and girls who became pregnant outside of marriage.
Their children more often than not adopted or spent time in orphanages.
It is a both a confused and confusing issue.
At its heart are sometimes conflicting rights - including privacy, governed by different pieces of legislation, with worries about General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) thrown in for extra measure.
The Mother and Baby Homes Commission, which is due to issue its final report on Friday, was set up under the 2004 Commission of Investigations Act, which says that records must be kept under wraps for 30 years.
Part of the thinking behind this act was to cut costs and allow those giving evidence to a commission to do so without challenge and without legal representation.
Their evidence, often given in private and confidentially, was simply listened to.
Now that the Mother and Baby Homes bill is law, the estimated 60,000 digitalised files on the database of the commission, largely gathered from the records of Mother and Baby Homes over its five-year investigation, will be handed over to the
tional Archive and the child and family agency Tusla.
But campaigners and some of those seeking more information about their own life story, including their natural mother and their adoption, believe that sealing the records will deny them an opportunity to find out more about themselves and their history.
Ministers have repeated that it was never their intention to allow a dark period of Irish history to continue to be swept under the carpet or to deny people their rights.
They believe that with cross-party parliamentary support it should be possible very quickly to allay the concerns of those affected.
But those seeking their records are far from convinced and this is an issue that may well still end up in the courts.
BBC News NI's Shane Harrison looks at the fallout as Ireland's president signs it a new bill into law.
www.bbc.com
Fintan Dunne
February 9 at 1:26 PM
SINN FEIN TRANSFERS KILL OFF KATHERINE ZAPPONE'S DAIL BID
- by Fintan Dunne
"Solidarity PBP TD Paul Murphy has just picked up 3,444 transfers from Sinn Féin's Seán Crowe in Dublin South-West. By comparison independent TD Katherine Zappone received just 433 of Crowe's transfers.
"That second count outcome gives Murphy a 3,000 vote boost in the race for the last seat - a gap Zappone is very unlikely to close.
"
As Minister for Children, Katherine Zappone badly mishandled the Commission of Investigation - which is yet to report after five years. She also oversaw a Fine Gael stonewalling of survivors justice and truth rights.
"In the final week of campaigning, Mother and Baby Homes survivors protested in Dublin South-West - with placards urging voters to
DUMP ZAPPONE.
And the wise electorate of Dublin SW have agreed.
"Good riddance Zappone.
"
For a feminist, you were no help to our Irish First Mothers.
THIS IS THE PUBLIC GROUP FOR IRISH FIRST MOTHERS. If you are an Irish woman who was coerced or interned during your pregnancy, then email firstmotherstogether@gmail.com and we'll invite you to join...
www.facebook.com
'Magdalene survivor takes case to UN torture committee'
'State is being investigated over its treatment of Elizabeth Coppin (70) in landmark case'
38 minutes ago
Magdalene survivor takes case to UN torture committee
State is being investigated over its treatment of Elizabeth Coppin (70) in landmark case
www.irishtimes.com
By Kitty Holland Social Affairs Correspondent
"The UN Committee Against Torture has begun an
investigation into the State’s treatment of Elizabeth Coppin (70) which could have implications for the State’s approach to historical abuse.
It is a landmark case, being the first before the committee from a Magdalene survivor.
"Originally from Listowel, Co Kerry, Ms Coppin was born to an unmarried woman (19) in a Killarney mother-and-baby home in 1949.
[…]
"
The Government was notified by the committee it was admitting Ms Coppin’s case on 20th January.
“
The Department of Foreign Affairs are taking the lead on co-ordinating a response and a number of departments will be required to provide input,” a Department of Justice spokesman said. “The deadline for providing a response is 20th May, 2020,” he added.
Cardinal Pell’s appeal of abuse conviction to be heard March 11-12
Feb 16, 2020
Cardinal Pell's appeal of abuse conviction to be heard March 11-12
Cardinal George Pell will have his last chance to have his conviction for sexually abusing two 13-year old choirboys overturned when his lawyers plead his case to the High Court of Australia March 11-12.
cruxnow.com
Michael Sainsbury
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
"YANGON, Myanmar - Cardinal George Pell will have his last chance to have his conviction for sexually abusing two 13-year old choirboys overturned when his lawyers plead his case to the High Court of Australia March 11-12.
"But the full bench of Australia’s highest court - either five or all seven justices - will take several months, at least, to determine the fate of the former senior adviser to Pope Francis.
[…]
"If the High Court fails to overturn the verdict of a 12-person jury that found him guilty of four counts of sexual assault and one count of child rape, Pell, 78, will spend at least 32 more months in prison.
[…]
"Regardless of the High Court’s decision,
Pell is facing at least three civil lawsuits brought against him for historical sexual abuse by people claiming to be victims or their families if they are deceased.
Starry:
Further, t
he Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse's unredacted Final Report about Ballarat Diocese was delayed so it wouldn't prejudice George Pell's current or future criminal or civil proceedings. 60 pages of the report were redacted. This is about the paedophile ring in Ballarat - includes Australia's most infamous serial sex abuser Fr Gerald Ridsdale (65 known victims), etc.
George Pell boarded with Fr Ridsdale at St Alipius Presbytery, Ballarat.
There was a paedophile ring at St Alipius Primary School (all the male teachers and chaplain Fr Gerald Ridsdale). As many as a third of students in a Grade 4 class at St Alipius Primary School later suicided.
https://twitter.com/SAFEIreland
Safe Ireland tional Social Change Agency CLG@SAFEIreland
33m
This report exposes, yet again, the enormous prevalence and patterns of domestic violence in this country exacerbated by a pandemic that locked women’s and families down with their abuser.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmdPKCoXYAAXsau?format=jpg&name=medium
Safe Ireland tional Social Change Agency CLG@SAFEIreland
21m
We need clarity now a- clarity of budget and resources, and clarity on how the government is planning to respond in a comprehensive and meaningful way to the enormous problem of domestic violence that this study has tracked.
Safe Ireland tional Social Change Agency CLG@SAFEIreland
21m
The government consistently name-checks domestic and sexual violence as a priority concern. But calling something a priority means that it also has to be resourced and funded as a priority.
Safe Ireland tional Social Change AgencyCLG@SAFEIreland
What this study also underscores is the enormous strains that domestic violence services throughout the country are under and have been under - since the start of this crisis, but in reality for years and decades.
'Domestic violence services report rise in first time calls by women'
By Ailbhe Conneely Social Affairs & Religion Corresponden
Updated / Tuesday, 10 Nov 2020
08:30
Increase in first time calls by women to abuse services
Nearly 3,500 women contacted a domestic violence service for the first time between March and August this year, according to a new report by Safe Ireland.
The report is based on data collected from 39 domestic violence services nationwide.
….
Safe Ireland said at least 1,970 women and 411 children received support from a domestic violence service in that period.
…. The report shows that 575 women and 98 children - who had never as far as is known, contacted a domestic violence service before - contacted services every month in that time.
www.thejournal.ie
www.breakingnews.ie
www.irishexaminer.com
www.irishpost.com
