Government accused of ‘complete failure’ to protect institutional records

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

Independent TD Catherine Connolly has accused the Government of a “complete failure” to reserve and protect records held by religious organisations pertaining to victims of institutional abuse.

Speaking during Leaders’ Questions, Ms Connolly said if State apologies were to mean anything to survivors and victims of “horrific abuse”, they had to be followed with action.

She distinguished between so-called private records and the public files in the possession of the State which were due to be made available in a central repository at the site of a former Magdalene Laundry at Sean McDermott Street in Dublin.

She said she disagreed with the description of some records as “private”.

Ms Connolly said there had been no attempt by Government to take action and bring in legislation to protect the records and make them available.

She cited legal action taken by the Christian Brothers against the survivor of the Glin industrial school over records he held about the institution.

She called on Government to build trust by getting these records from the religious organisations.

Ms Connolly said the report of the Commission Of Investigation Into Mother And Baby Homes had encouraged these organisations to make data public.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said work had advanced on creating the repository for public records.

With regards to privately held records, Mr Varadkar said a working group had been established to examine options to preserve them.

He said that group was due to report to Government in the near future.

Ms Connolly said it was “grotesque” and an “obscenity” to distinguish between public and private records, given the State had supervised and funded these institutions and schools.

Mr Varadkar said there was a difference between publicly held files and private records.

But he said in some circumstances people did have certain rights to access information under privacy and data protection legislation.

“I appreciate what you’re talking about is more than that,” he said.

“It is about giving people access to those records about them, making sure they’re not destroyed, and making sure they’re held in a way people can access them.”

The Taoiseach said while he had been briefed on the matter previously, he had not anticipated the question on Wednesday and would provide a more comprehensive response to Ms Connolly by the end of the week.