MINISTERS IN Northern Ireland have confirmed details surrounding a public apology they will be offer to survivors of historical institutional abuse on behalf of government.
The apology will take place tomorrow, Friday 11 March at the Assembly Chamber of Parliament Buildings, and will be issued by Michelle McIlveen, Conor Murphy, Nichola Mallon, Robin Swann and Naomi Long.
Their apology will be followed by apologies from each of the institutions where systemic failings were found in the Hart Report which examined allegations of abuse and mistreatment at 22 institutions between 1922 and 1995.
The institutions that will tomorrow apologise are the De La Salle Order, Sisters of Nazareth, Good Shepherd Sisters, Sisters of St Louis, Barnardo's and Irish Church Missions.
The apology will be live streamed from 12.30pm across the following platforms:
- Website: https://niassembly.tv(external link opens in a new window / tab)
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/NorthernIrelandAssembly(external link opens in a new window / tab)
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NorthernIrelandAssembly
The ministers said the apology has been co-developed with victims and survivors in line with the Hart report, which recommended that it should be a wholehearted and unconditional recognition of the failure to protect children from abuse.
Live streams of the apology at WAVE Trauma regional centres will also take place in Belfast, Armagh, Omaha, Ballmoney and Derry/Londonderry.
"In light of the importance of the occasion, we are grateful that the Speaker has given special permission for the apology to take place in the Assembly Chamber of Parliament Buildings, a significant venue as the seat of our legislative Assembly," the ministers said in a statement.
"We have worked alongside victims and survivors to ensure that the maximum number who wish to hear the apology have been accommodated within the Assembly Chamber and throughout Parliament Buildings.
"However, we want to make sure that every victim and survivor who wishes to hear the apology has an opportunity to do so, and provision has been made to view the apology online, and at a number of regional centres."
