Criticism mounts that Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation’s report is disappointing

DUBLIN: Criticism is rising against the final report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation. Survivors allege that it is an incomplete and worse report.

They say the report did not include anything they wanted, including solace. The Tuam Survivors Network, with 41 elderly members born in the middle of the last century, criticised the release of the report. They say it was released when they were isolated because of COVID-19, and it was to make sure that their voices were not front and centre.

“I wish I could say it is a sense of relief but it’s not, it’s overwhelming in the darkness that we hoped would lift. Maybe COVID impacts on that,” volunteer with the group, Breeda Murphy, said. She also said that it would take months to fully understand what was in the report.

Tuam-based historian Catherine Corless said the initial response from survivors was that the report was disappointing. She says they understand that the issue of illegal adoptions has been avoided in the report. Catherine Corless is the person who did so much to bring this incident to light. He added that the survivors had commented through the webinar.

“We need to know what happened [with] all the deaths,” she said, adding she wanted to know if the full report would delve into who was responsible for discarding the bodies of babies and toddlers in a sewage area in Tuam.” She also said that apologies were needed not only from the local level but also from the church and perhaps from the Vatican. Ms. Corless said it was a major failure of society and many of the survivors are upset.

“A state apology following the Mother and Baby Home report is just not good enough. We need justice for the thousands of victims and survivors. We need a full criminal investigation now and the assets of these institutions sequestered for the benefit of the survivors,” said Brid Smith TD.

Bethany Home Survivors and Castlepollard Mother & Baby home group said the report is “really shocking”. This is a group under Mother and Baby Home Survivors.

There is strong evidence that thousands of women have been physically and emotionally abused and abused at Mother and Baby institutions. Women were considered as slaves. The group also alleged that doctors treated women cruelly during childbirth by refusing even painkillers.

“It is clear from the report that the mothers and children in the homes suffered gross breaches of their human rights; in fact what occurred was downright criminal,” the group said.

The group says the report ignores the larger issue of the forced separation of single mothers and their babies. They said it was a social failure. The group also called on the government to provide better medical cards to survivors and funds for memorials for children who died.

“Why did the Irish State and the Church of Ireland and Protestant churches allow children like me to rot? Why has the Irish State taken 22 years to treat us a bit more like our other Irish Catholic crib mates?,” Derek Leinster, of the Bethany homes Survivors group said.

The Irish First Mothers group says the report does not make recommendations on significant redress for the mothers affected.