# mbh 2021

All time

'We've been totally vindicated': State admits rights of Mother & Baby Home survivors were breached

“It’s been such a battle but we’ve been totally vindicated, that’s the most important thing. This time our voices have been heard in terms of justice.”

Today's settlement has been described as a "significant victory" for Philomena Lee and Mary Harney, Órla Ryan reports

The State has admitted the women are identifiable in the Commission's report and should have been given a right to reply

"We’ve been totally vindicated ... This time our voices have been heard in terms of justice," Harney said

38.1k

Updated

Dec 17th 2021, 4:55 PM

# Netherlands

'My mother didn't want people to know I existed': One woman's mission to find her identity

The woman who set up a register to reconnect people who passed through the Mother and Baby Home system in the Netherlands wants to share her knowledge with Ireland.

61.8k

Dec 11th 2021, 8:00 PM

# mother-and-baby homes

'They're waiting for more of us to die': Women whose children were taken react to redress scheme

The Government’s long-awaited Mother and Baby Homes redress scheme was unveiled during the week.

The Government's €800 million Mother and Baby Homes redress scheme was unveiled during the week

Women say basing compensation on their length of stay in an institution is "absolutely disgraceful"

The exclusion of many people born in institutions is a "divide and conquer" strategy, survivors tell Órla Ryan

21.4k

Nov 21st 2021, 12:05 AM

# mother-and-baby homes

'She had no choice': High Court told Philomena Lee did not consent to her son being adopted

Ruling in Mother and Baby Home cases could have “very dramatic consequences” on how future commissions operate, High Court told.

36.3k

Updated

Nov 18th 2021, 6:45 PM

# mother and baby homes

'Gardaí returned women who escaped': Philomena Lee & Mary Harney challenge Commission in High Court

The women are seeking to have elements of the final report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes quashed.

53.5k

Updated

Nov 17th 2021, 5:10 PM

# mother-and-baby homes

'No understanding of trauma': Survivors hit out at 6-month rule & legal waiver in redress scheme

The Government unveiled the long-awaited Mother and Baby Home redress scheme earlier today.

19.9k

Nov 16th 2021, 7:15 PM

# Commission

Mother and Baby Homes: 34,000 survivors eligible for compensation in €800m redress scheme

The Cabinet signed off on the details of a long-awaited redress scheme today.

31.4k

Nov 16th 2021, 2:13 PM

# Adoption

40 years of nothing, then a message saying 'I'm your son': Mother & son reunite after 4 decades

A Facebook friend request earlier this year changed Maria Arbuckle’s life forever.

Maria Arbuckle was sent from Armagh to St Patrick's mother and baby home in Dublin in 1981

She spent the next four decades trying to find her son, Paul

A Facebook friend request earlier this year changed her life forever, Órla Ryan reports

77.5k

Nov 13th 2021, 12:05 AM

# Tuam

UN experts warn Burials Bill may 'create obstacles' to examining deaths at Mother & Baby Homes

The proposed legislation raises “serious concerns in relation to the State’s compliance with its international legal obligations”, the groups note.

15.7k

Nov 10th 2021, 5:19 PM

# High Court

Bethany Home survivor Derek Leinster lodges legal proceedings against Irish State

Leinster has campaigned for over 20 years for the inclusion of Bethany Home and other Protestant institutions in redress schemes.

20.9k

Oct 6th 2021, 12:05 AM

# Magdalene Laundries

'Will this be Opportunity Lost 2.0?': State must 'learn from mistakes' of past redress schemes

A new book explores Magdalene laundries and the State’s response to institutional abuse.

11.8k

Sep 18th 2021, 8:00 PM

# mother and baby homes

Survivors consider legal action to get health records amid 'bizarre' row with department

Survivors of mother and baby institutions have been told to submit FOI requests to get access to their records, despite already applying under GDPR.

Survivors of mother and baby institutions have been told to submit FOI requests, despite already applying under GDPR

A number of women are considering legal action, Órla Ryan reports

Noelle Brown says the latest development is "despicable" and "ridiculous"

21.5k

Sep 16th 2021, 12:05 AM

# forced adoption

Woman's signature forged on letter saying nuns from Mother and Baby Home 'deserve a medal'

The survivor saw the letter, written in 1980, for the first time last month.

The survivor saw the letter, written in 1980, for the first time last month, Órla Ryan reports

"I think ye should all be presented with a medal for your fantastic work," the letter states

The woman believes her late mother wrote the letter praising the nuns, pretending to be her

57.5k

Jul 31st 2021, 12:05 AM

# Judicial review

Mother and Baby Homes: Two test cases to be heard by High Court later this year

The cases, being brought by Philomena Lee and Mary Harney, will be heard in late October or November.

The cases, being brought by Philomena Lee and Mary Harney, will be heard in late October or November, Órla Ryan reports

A third test case, involving Mari Steed, may also proceed at a later date

Eight women are seeking judicial reviews of the Commission of Investigation's final report

26.9k

Updated

Jul 27th 2021, 11:57 AM

# GDPR

Department 'in breach of EU law' unless it gives health records to Mother and Baby Home survivors

Survivors and experts have said a GP should not be involved in the process.

A data expert says the Minister for Children's approach breaches GDPR, Órla Ryan writes

Survivors have said a GP should not be involved in the process - at odds with the Department

Minister Roderic O'Gorman is in discussions with Cabinet colleagues about new regulations

13.8k

Jul 9th 2021, 12:05 AM

# Personal Data

'The dead don't have GDPR rights': Woman considers legal action after department denies info request

Solicitor Simon McGarr said his client, a Mother and Baby Home survivor, “remains amongst the living”.

33.1k

Jul 8th 2021, 6:00 AM

# terri harrison

'The Irish Handmaid's Tale': Mother and Baby Home survivor says reality was worse than fiction

“We were just like machines for them, they definitely dehumanised us.”

23.6k

Jun 19th 2021, 9:00 AM

# High Court

Mother and Baby Homes: State argues that Philomena Lee and others taking legal action aren't recognisable in report

A number of survivors are seeking judicial reviews of the Commission of Investigation’s final report.

A number of survivors are seeking judicial reviews of the Commission of Investigation's final report

The Government is set to argue that Lee and others taking legal action are not identifiable in the final report, Órla Ryan reports

It will also stress the fact that, although set up by the Government, the Commission acted independently

18.7k

Jun 16th 2021, 10:00 AM

# GDPR

'Rape' and 'incest' listed as 'current relationship status' options on Commission form

A survivor’s daughter says the approach is “incomprehensible” and raises “serious questions”.

A survivor's daughter says the approach is "incomprehensible" and raises "serious questions"

The woman's form is "littered with inaccuracies" and "in no way" captures her suffering

"In what world is rape or incest a relationship status?"

105k

Jun 13th 2021, 12:05 AM

# Commission

'I am fuming, it's so disrespectful': Survivors react to commissioners' refusal to appear before Oireachtas

‘What the nuns said was sacrosanct, whereas our trauma was dismissed as stories’

Mother and Baby Home survivors say recent developments have silenced them all over again, Órla Ryan reports

One of the women taking legal action against the Commission's findings says she will continue to fight for justice

The commissioners have refused the latest invitation to appear before the Oireachtas Children's Committee

19.4k

Jun 12th 2021, 12:10 AM

# Legal Action

How legal threats and the Ryan Commission's legacy impacted Mother and Baby Home inquiry

The potential legal action of survivors – which has become a reality in several cases – was seemingly not given the same consideration as legal action from religious orders.

The potential legal action of survivors was seemingly not given the same consideration as legal action from religious orders, Órla Ryan writes

The Ryan Commission into child abuse continues to impact how we treat survivors of institutional abuse, a human rights lawyer has argued

There is mounting pressure for the commissioners to appear before the Oireachtas

17.0k

Jun 3rd 2021, 5:53 PM

# Mary Daly

'Yet another blow to survivors': Women get few answers as Commissioner defends report

A number of Mother and Baby Home survivors finally got to hear from a Commissioner today – it did not go to plan.

Commissioner defends Mother and Baby Home report in first public comments, saying 'ultra legal' approach was needed

'My view is we've done a job and, basically, let's let others go and take it further,' Professor Mary Daly said

The evidence given by hundreds of survivors to the Confidential Committee was essentially discounted, Órla Ryan writes

45.6k

Jun 2nd 2021, 9:51 PM

# Adoptions

'Groundbreaking' legislation will give adopted people access to birth certs and early life information

Under the new law, even if a birth parent says they don’t want their child to get their birth cert or related information, the adopted person will still get access.

The legislation will provide a clear right of access for adopted people and others with questions on their origins to birth certs, birth and early life information.

The Bill will have to first undergo pre-legislative scrutiny, which is expected to take place in the coming months.

A separate memo addressing the issue of illegal birth registrations was brought to Cabinet this morning.

46.6k

Updated

May 11th 2021, 5:45 PM

# long lost sisters

Geraldine was born in St Patrick's, her sister Pauline was born in Bessborough - 50 years later they found each other

Four years ago a social worker “stumbled across” information that would change their lives forever.

Both women sought to find their birth parents, but instead discovered each other, Órla Ryan writes

A social worker 'stumbled across' information that changed their lives forever

They say adopted people have a right to their birth certs and medical history

51.9k

May 2nd 2021, 12:05 AM

# Abuse

Drew Harris says Mother and Baby Home crimes 'difficult to prosecute' despite reports of rape and incest

An Garda Síochána has found “insufficient evidence” in the Commission’s report to start any criminal investigations.

17.7k

Updated

Apr 29th 2021, 5:55 PM

# history repeating itself

'My foster father wiped down everything I touched': Call to tackle racism in social care

Ireland is repeating the mistakes of mother and baby homes, social workers have warned.

52.9k

Apr 24th 2021, 8:00 PM

# Cork

'It's a children's burial ground': Expert claims map of Bessborough site is correct

Survivors have criticised plans to build apartments at the site of a former mother and baby institution.

18.8k

Updated

Apr 22nd 2021, 3:20 PM

# Cork

Survivors call plan to build apartments at Bessborough site 'an abhorrent act of desecration'

The developer has said it is “highly unlikely” the land in question is a burial site, but that this can’t be ruled out.

31.3k

Updated

Apr 21st 2021, 6:00 PM

# AMRI

UN asked to intervene over Ireland's response to 'systemic racism' in mother and baby homes

The Association of Mixed Race Irish has asked the United Nations to visit Ireland and investigate institutional racism here.

14.3k

Apr 16th 2021, 6:00 AM

# burials bill

'Is she dead or alive?': Call for inquests into deaths at mother and baby homes

One Tuam survivor told the Oireachtas Children’s Committee he wants to know if his sister is buried at the site, or still alive.

Inquests must be carried out into all deaths at mother and baby homes, Oireachtas told

One Tuam survivor wants to know if his sister is buried at the site, or still alive

Ireland 'must meet its domestic and international human rights obligations'

18.7k

Updated

Apr 14th 2021, 6:00 PM

# burials bill

'There can be no more messing about': Push for law to allow exhumations at mother and baby homes

Legislation being debated today would allow excavations, exhumations and re-interment of remains at the sites of former mother and baby homes.

Legislation being debated today would allow excavations, exhumations and re-interment of remains at the sites of former mother and baby homes

Catherine Corless says as many sites as possible must be included

"The babies should have been taken out of there in 2017 when they were found," she says of Tuam

10.9k

Apr 14th 2021, 12:05 AM

# Redress

'Pay us and acknowledge what happened': Mother and baby home survivors want compensation and a remembrance day

Some survivors have also called on the government to take legal action against the religious orders who ran the institutions if they refuse to pay financial compensation.

28.6k

Apr 4th 2021, 12:05 AM

# Email Addresses

Department apologises after 'careless' data breach of people attending mother and baby home redress meetings

Those affected by the breach are “deeply upset and distressed” by the sharing of their email addresses without their consent.

21.6k

Mar 25th 2021, 4:12 PM

# Commission

'I spent 28 years wondering where my child was, they were 45 minutes down the road'

A number of survivors of mother and baby homes have raised concerns about how their requests for personal files are being dealt with by the Department of Children.

96.4k

Mar 20th 2021, 8:00 AM

# OAK Consulting

Department says consulting firm was hired due to 'urgency' in setting up mother and baby home redress scheme

The government has hired OAK Consulting to oversee the consultation process at a cost of €20,000.

16.8k

Mar 17th 2021, 9:30 AM

# mother-and-baby homes

'If the Commission dissolves tomorrow, we'll be denied justice': Survivor says testimony was 'misrepresented'

One survivor says her experience was “misrepresented” to a “shocking extent” in the final report by the Commission into Mother and Baby Homes.

8.8k

Feb 27th 2021, 9:30 AM

# Adoption

'My mother gave birth to three children in three mother and baby homes in three years'

Beth Wallace wants to commemorate her brother who died, aged five weeks, 49 years ago today.

51.2k

Feb 19th 2021, 6:04 PM

# recordings

UK police refer county home survivor back to gardaí over destruction of testimony

Mary Teresa Collins said she feels “very hurt and let down” by authorities in Ireland.

24.8k

Feb 17th 2021, 7:23 PM

# Commission

County home survivor told to contact police in England, not gardaí, over destruction of testimony

A number of witnesses have contacted the gardaí and Data Protection Commissioner to date.

46.0k

Feb 16th 2021, 12:00 PM

# Commission

'A nun poured urine on my head because I snored': Survivors contact DPC and gardaí over destruction of testimony

People who spent time in Mother and Baby Homes and County Homes say they have been “re-traumatised” by recent developments.

57.8k

Updated

Feb 9th 2021, 12:05 AM