Debate contribution: Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill: Consideration Stage
Debate contribution by Ms Joanne Bunting on .
- MLA
- Ms Joanne Bunting
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 19 May 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Executive Committee Business
- Heading
- Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill: Consideration Stage
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5550122
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. My remarks on the group will be brief. Before I sit down, I pay tribute to the victims and survivors in the Gallery and thank them for their courage and attendance today, as well as for sharing their lived experiences, some of which have been incredibly harrowing and difficult to hear. I commend them for their strength. I also commend them for taking the time to be here and their patience. The process can often be turgid, so I am grateful to them for being here. I admire them and their courage. In closing the debate on group 3, I want to bring Members back to the central purpose of the amendments. Group 3 is about ensuring that the redress service is not only well intentioned but capable of delivering in practice. The amendments that we are supporting are sensible and necessary. Mr Carroll made a point about knowing a person who is completing an application form and the issues that have arisen. I raised a similar issue with officials about that. I point out that the application forms are in draft. It is important that we get feedback. That is part of the further engagement and consultation on what does and does not work that I proposed. All those issues could be considered, and the form could be adjusted. It is purely in draft. My feeling is that that could be worked on as part of the next steps. I concur with the Chairperson's comments about legal support versus support from the community and voluntary sector. Where it is at all possible, redress support should come from the community and voluntary sector. I thank the WAVE Trauma Centre and Adopt NI, which have provided excellent support thus far. I turn to Ms Ní Chuilín's issues with orders restricting disclosure of information. I want to clarify whether we are on the same page. In that whole business, we are moving towards a presumption of transparency and disclosure. We understand the difficulties that arise in circumstances where public bodies know more about individuals than those individuals know about themselves. That is a difficult circumstance to be in. I stand to be corrected, but my understanding of the clause on orders restricting disclosure of information is that, where information held by the redress service is potentially leaked or misused, there would be a sanction on a person for such behaviour that is in keeping with the sanctions for the abuse or misuse of information in regard to the public inquiry. My understanding is that the clause is less about not disclosing information or the ability to withhold it and more about imposing a sanction on people where they have behaved badly with the information that they have. Does that clarify matters, Ms Ní Chuilín? It would be helpful to understand your point.
I am grateful to the Member for her clarification. We raised that issue with the Health Minister and his officials, as well as the sensitivities and how difficult it is for people to be in that circumstance. In fairness to the officials, they pointed out that, at times, there are valid reasons not to disclose. Other family members may not be aware that somebody had a child in those circumstances. It is not necessarily straightforward, but I take on board the Member's point.
Yes.
I am afraid that I am not able to give the Member an answer on that at this stage. I do not wish to comment, as I have not been fully briefed and could therefore mislead the Member and, indeed, the House. If he will forgive me, I will not get into that issue now, but we will provide him with an answer in writing, if he is satisfied with that. Is that OK?
Thank you very much. I will conclude by saying that, to our mind, we are taking a balanced and responsible approach that is focused on getting the legislation right. I urge Members to support our position on the group 3 amendments.
674 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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