Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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360. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the establishment of the advisory council in relation to the mother and baby homes; when it will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37416/24]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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361. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the role of the special advocate for survivors of mother and baby homes; the number of survivors he has engaged with to date; his output to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37417/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 360 and 361 together.

My appointment of Patricia Carey as Special Advocate for Survivors took effect on 25 March of this year. This followed an independent, open and transparent recruitment campaign, managed by the Public Appointments Service.

The role of the Special Advocate is to promote the collective interests of survivors, as expressed by them, and to amplify their voices as a central, essential input to Government deliberations on matters which affect them. Patricia's remit encompasses Mother and Baby Institutions, County Home Institutions, Magdalen Laundries, Industrial and Reformatory Schools, and related institutions, and those adopted, boarded out or the subject of an illegal birth registration.

In this important role, Patricia's background and extensive experience ensure that she will bring a unique perspective and dedication to it. She has already embarked on a substantive engagement process, meeting and engaging with survivors and people affected, with survivor groups, as well as with partner and support organisations in Ireland and overseas. To date, she has engaged with and met almost 500 survivors and representative organisations in Ireland and around the world including Britain, the USA, Canada, Spain, and Australia.

As part of her commitment to enhance communications with survivors she is planning to set up an Advisory Council made up of survivors. She believes this Council will be helpful in informing and supporting her work, ensuring that the lived experiences of survivors will be central to her advocacy. Once her current round of engagements concludes she will publicise how the Council will be established.