Kathleen Funchion condemns report as 'disgrace' to survivors
Kathleen Funchion criticised the confidential committee's report on mother and baby detention centres, calling it a "miscarriage of truth" and a disgrace. She said the report sanitised and misrepresented survivors' accounts and called for access to records, support services and redress.
Survivors' testimonies disputed
She recounted how survivors and their representative groups have told detailed, distressing accounts of life in mother and baby detention centres that the report omitted or contradicted. She described an example of a woman who spent over two hours with a transcriber yet found the report excluded descriptions of being locked alone in labour, denied pain relief, and having her baby removed while breastfeeding.
Report judged a profound failure
She said the confidential committee warned readers that not all survivor stories could be believed, and characterised the report as a colossal disappointment and disrespectful to survivors. She called it "one of the greatest miscarriages of truth ever produced" and said it has discredited and retold survivors' stories, undermining trust and any prospect of healing.
Legislative and support demands
She urged the government to introduce access to information legislation that gives survivors unrestricted access to their own records and data and noted a colleague had published legislation on access and birth certs. She also called for dedicated support workers, counselling, medical supports and a comprehensive redress scheme, and said there may be grounds for a criminal investigation based on aspects of the report.
Commitment to survivors
She pledged that in her capacity as a legislator and opposition spokesperson she will work to keep survivors' voices at the centre of every action and piece of legislation, to ensure they are not forgotten. She closed by expressing pride in survivors' courage and stating that she believes their stories.
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Minister, last week when I had the opportunity to speak on this report I was extremely mindful that many survivors, their families and their representative groups had actually not yet physically seen the report let alone had time to read any of it and now a week later many of us have read it, many of us are still working through it and I know some survivors and their families are still actually awaiting the report but unfortunately I have to say with absolute honesty it is undoubtedly one of the greatest miscarriages of truth ever produced. Survivors had so much expectation and maybe optimism that this report would right some wrongs that it would hold those responsible for so much hurt for so much injustice to account that it would open up honest and truthful dialogue on a shameful chapter in our history and begin a process of healing for survivors and for their families. Unfortunately I have to say I think that this report is a disgrace not only is it a colossal disappointment for survivors it is disrespectful in the extreme as it attempts to contradict their accounts. In the report of the confidential committee the authors set out to warn the reader that not all survivor stories can be believed stating that clearly they did not always recount their experiences correctly. All week, Minister, survivors have taken to the airwaves to tell us their real and their truthful accounts of life in Ireland's mother and baby detention centres. Yesterday I spoke to a lady one of the bravest women I've ever actually had the privilege to know who told me she spent over two hours with a transcriber and as this lady spoke the transcriber carefully tapped out each word on her machine. This lady told me that as she retold her painful and distressing story in intricate detail the flood of emotions was so vivid and so distressing she had to take a break. She spoke about the excruciating painful birth, she spoke about the excruciating painful birth, being locked in a room alone throughout her entire labour and birth, being denied pain relief or any medical attention throughout the whole process and she recounted how the nuns removed the baby from her while she was breastfeeding and bonding with her new child and not one word that I have just read out was included in that report. Her story and countless other stories have been sanitised, they have been misrepresented and she actually said to me what was the point of this report? What was the point of the commission and why did I even bother? It seems and I quote, everybody else's human rights are important except mine. So these at every point along their life survivors long and painful journey they've been lied to, they've been tricked, some have been beaten, some are still to tell their stories such as the pain of reliving this part of their lives. And what did the state do to these brave women? It discredited their stories and it retold their stories. So how can there be trust and how can there be hope? Words must be followed by action. Survivors and their families and their representative groups have been very clear in what needs to come out of this report, however disappointing. The government must bring forward access to information legislation that gives survivors unrestricted access to their own records and data and as mentioned by my colleague we brought forward legislation or published legislation yesterday in relation to access and birth certs which is at least the very first step that should happen. We also need to ensure that survivors have support and dedicating support workers, counselling, medical supports and a comprehensive redress scheme. And I would also say that I believe there is grounds possibly for a criminal investigation given some aspects of the report. I know there are a lot of survivors listening in today and I would like to take this opportunity to anyone listening in to say that I will in my power as a legislator, as an opposition spokesperson and as an Irish woman work tirelessly to ensure survivors' voices are at the centre of every action we take, every piece of legislation we introduce, every measure we recommend, to ensure you are not forgotten, that your real stories are heard and then finally maybe you can begin the process of healing. But finally, on a very last note, I would like to finish by simply saying I am proud of you for your courage and I believe your stories. Thank you. Thank you.
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