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LAST UPDATE | 10 Jan 2021
MINISTER RODERIC O’GORMAN has written to survivors’ groups to say that he is “deeply angered” that details of the Mother and Baby Home Commission report were leaked to the media before they were shared with survivors and families.
On Twitter, O’Gorman said that he would seek an investigation into how the details became public.
“I’m seeking an investigation of how these sensitive details came into the public domain and will be raising it with Government colleagues,” O’Gorman said.
The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth said that he was “very sorry” that survivors had found out details of the report in this way, adding that “it is not acceptable”.
The Sunday Independent reported today that the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation report has found that 9,000 children died in the just 18 institutions investigated.
The newspaper also revealed that Taoiseach Micheál Martin would be apologising on behalf of the State and “wider society” to the Dáil on Wednesday, and quoted a statement from the Taoiseach saying the report was “shocking and difficult to read”.
Survivors said that they were hurt and angry, but “not surprised” by leak to the media; and that it was causing great distress to survivors.
In correspondence seen by TheJournal.ie, O’Gorman said today that it was always his intention that survivors should hear the conclusions of the Commission’s report first.
This was to be done through an online forum hosted by the Taoiseach for Tuesday, following a Cabinet meeting.
“My Department will be engaging colleagues across Government to ensure that no further information becomes public until the official publication on Tuesday.”
Opposition reacts: Leak is ‘shocking’, ‘appalling’
Several opposition TDs have asked for the origin of the leak to be established.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald tweeted that the leaking was “shameful”.
“A very bad start to what will be a number of very difficult days for survivors and their families,” she said.
TD Richard Boyd Barrett said on RTÉ Radio that it was “really shocking” that there was yet another mishandling of the Mother and Baby Home investigation, and said that it speaks to the “desperate mishandling of the bill” and the “retraumatisation” of victims through that controversial bill.
He called for an investigation into how “on earth this information was leaked”.
Sinn Féin spokesperson on children Kathleen Funchion described the leak as “insensitive, inappropriate and appalling”.
“Survivors have been subjected to considerable distress and trauma already and the Government has a duty to treat their concerns with respect and sensitivity in order for them to have confidence and trust in this report.
“I welcome that the Children’s Minister has condemned this leak. He must now ensure his Department establishes who leaked this document and how, so he can ensure appropriate action is taken.
“The Minister must learn from this and redouble his efforts to respect survivors’ needs and concerns,” Funchion said.
The Social Democrats’ spokesperson for children Jennifer Whitmore said that it was ”extremely disappointing” that the report was leaked, and asked for O’Gorman to investigate how the leak occurred.
Whitmore said the leaking of the details contradicts the process outlined to the Dáil on 3 December, when O’Gorman said:
“The plan is that it will go to the Cabinet that week, and following the Cabinet meeting, the Taoiseach and I will host a webinar solely for survivors at which we will discuss and bring out the major conclusions of the report for survivors.
“It will only be after that point that it will be available. We will hold a press conference for the general public, but we will be engaging with survivors first and telling them first.”
Whitmore said that the minister now needs to set out how he will consult with survivors to ensure that assurances made about how the report will be released will be honoured.
Similarly, Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín said that “to see details of the report, on the front page of a newspaper this morning, is a punch in the gut for survivors”.
“I would like to call on the Minister to make a public commitment today to furnish every survivor and relevant person with a copy of this report before he gives any interviews to the media,” Tóibín said.
The Commission was established in 2015 to inquire into the treatment of women and children in 14 mother and baby homes and four county homes – a sample of the overall number of homes – between 1922 and 1998.
The Mother and Baby Home Commission’s long-awaited report, which has been delayed a number of times, is due to be published on Tuesday.
With reporting from Órla Ryan, Gráinne Ní Aodha and Lauren Boland
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Always questions questions questions, but never any answers!
@Colette Kearns: It’s a hospital, the chances of a virus being there is quite high. I think that answers the question
They’re bacteria?
@Timmy:
Eh, no, hospitals being places where bacteria are likely to be found does not answer why they cut the cleaning budget.
@Timmy: TIMMY!
@Timmy: I also think it answers the question, albeit in a superficial and practically inept fashion. The idea in the hospital is to not endanger the patients (or staff) any further. That specifically includes maintaining the highest of hygiene standards, the hospital failed to do that and cutting the cleaning regime was obviously a factor in that.
@Jon Snow: Livin’ a lie, TIMMY!
Of all the things to be cut in a hospital, hygiene!!! I’m not a doctor, but is cleanliness not vitally important in a hospital of all places??
Never happened when the nuns were in charge, the hospitals were always spick and span.
Cutting costs on cleaning and putting people’s lives in danger. Like why not just reduce the boards massive wage bill instead.
@Darren Cooney: you will probably find the Board are all unpaid volunteers.
Lowest bid cleaning contractors???? Hospitals need qualified in-house cleaning staff 24.7
The answer lies in the fact that there’s an antibiotic culture in this country.
@Darren Bates: No… it doesn’t. In the case of these superbugs it’s more to do with an antibiotic problem… in India.
“Questions need to be asked”
The favourite go to line of many a politician, knowing only too well it’ll all be forgotten and buried in a few days/weeks.
Ridiculous to cut the budget. But very misleading article- cleaning or lack there of does not contribute to carbarpenem resistance, the use of that antibiotic does.
The day of drug resistant staph and enterococcus is fast approaching.
@George Beckett: to be infected by the bacterium requires the bacterium to be presence.
The probability of the presence of the bacterium is increased by reduction in cleaning.
Prevention of infection is better than cure, especially in the case of antibiotuc resistance fir the bacterium.
@George Beckett: Eh… the day is here? It’s called MRSA and CRE or VRE. Nobody is disputing how resistance evoloution happens they’re disputing that proper measures aren’t taken to try and prevent the acquisition of these bugs.
@George Beckett:
Yes but it can be controlled by correct aseptic methodology which include cleaning regimes which is lacking in this case
No accountability,no consequences.
“Penny wise, Pound foolish” the mantra of government.
“Penny wise, Pound foolish” the mantra of government.
It’s been widely reported in the past that this hospital has had issues with bullying and it’s ‘management style’, particularly in it’s Emergency Department, resulting in consultants there becoming whistleblowers. I’ve heard whispers that little has changed, the hospital management hire highly qualified staff to help enact changes. But these are consequently bullied and unable to do their job – a job which had been earmarked for another member of staff belonging to a clique within the hospital. Unwilling to admit they have a problem with bullying, the management then become a reluctant party to it.
The lunatics are running this particular asylum, and have been for quite some time, so it should be no surprise when some questionable decisions are made, but just how much latitude are they going to be given before an adult steps in and takes control is the real question. This isn’t the first time patients lives have been put in danger, or even lost in Tallaght Hospital, particularly in it’s Emergency Department, the issues aren’t being resolved and appear to be getting worse.
It would help tallaght hospital if they got half decent cleaners to clean wards/toilets/main hospital areas. Place is filthy
Why not get prisoners to clean then hospitals at 4am. Problem solved.
Get the nuns in with the Dosco brushes n Dettol
Who I mean who, decided a hospital (any hospital) only needed to be cleaned 6 out of 7 days?
Find the person and let him go….
have your say