LEGISLATION being brought forward by the Irish Government will make it a criminal offence to destroy records relating to survivors of the nation’s institutional past.
Minister for Children, Roderic O’Gorman, has confirmed that the Government will propose the legislation next week, which aims to preserve “privately-held records relating to Ireland’s institutional past”.
“I am pleased to be able to bring forward this important legislation, which aims to preserve the records that are so crucial to people’s identities and life experiences, as well as the systems that shaped them,” he said.
“While the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 provides for some safeguarding of records in private hands, its scope relates to identity information for those who were adopted or have questions in relation to their origins.
“This is why I consider that this further legislation is urgently required,” he explained.
The proposal applies to Magdalen Laundries, Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions, industrial schools, orphanages, adoption agencies and boarding out arrangements, as well as the bodies that ran or oversaw these institutions and placement arrangements.
“Given the urgent requirement for this legislation, I will introduce it into the Houses next week,” Mr O’Gorman said.
This legislation, which has been called for by survivors and their families, requires any private holder of a relevant record to preserve it.
It makes it an offence to destroy, mutilate, falsify, or fail to maintain relevant records, or to export them from the State.
The proposals also permit the Director of the National Archives to request records from any private holders.
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