Below are questions asked in the Oireachtas, relating to Caranua and other areas relevant to survivors
Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board
Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 204 of 27 June 2017, 224 of 20 September 2017 and 51 of 25 October 2017, when the eligibility review will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Richard Bruton): As the Deputy is aware, the review of Caranua is confined to the issue of eligibility of persons who may access the fund. The initial phase, which involves a review of Caranua’s expenditure to date and an estimation of the projected expenditure taking into account applications on hands and anticipated further applications together with an estimation of any possible underspend of the available funding, is nearing completion.
Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries
Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills the actions taken by his Department following the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation second interim report recommendation that it re-examine the decision not to include a number of institutions including a location (details supplied) in the residential institutions redress scheme.
Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Richard Bruton): The recommendations regarding redress in the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation Second Interim Report were carefully examined by the Government who considered that it would not be appropriate to deal with the question of redress in advance of any conclusions by the Commission who have, to date, made no findings regarding abuse or neglect.
The Commission was established by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and Minister Zappone is committed to addressing the issues which have already emerged through the Commission’s work without encroaching on their investigation or pre-empting the outcome of that process.
Magdalen Laundries Apology
Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of discussions he has had with Dublin City Council senior management regarding the creation of an appropriate memorial at the Gloucester Street Magdalen laundry site on Seán McDermott Street, Dublin 1; and the assistance his Department has provided to Dublin City Council to progress the engagement with Magdalen laundry survivors as committed to by the then Taoiseach in his apology to the Magdalen women on behalf of the State in February 2013.
Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the work undertaken by his Department regarding the Quirke report recommendation that a memorial to the Magdalen women be funded and provided for by the Government; and if this work includes engagement with Dublin City Council officials to develop a memorial on the former Magdalen laundry site on Sean McDermott Street, Dublin 1.
Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Charles Flanagan): I propose to take Questions Nos. 589 and 611 together.
The site of the Gloucester Street Magdalen Institution on Seán McDermott Street, Dublin 1 is owned by Dublin City Council (DCC). In December 2017 DCC publicly announced that it will carry out a significant commercial redevelopment of the now largely derelict site as part of a broader economic regeneration of the area. In that announcement, DCC confirmed that there will be a Magdalen Memorial at the site and that it will consult with Magdalen representative groups early this year to agree how this should be done.
As part of this consultation process, officials from my Department will meet Dublin City Council officials shortly to discuss matters relevant to the memorial.