Debate contribution: Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill: Final Stage

Debate contribution by Mr Phillip Brett on 30 June 2026.

MLA

Mr Phillip Brett

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

30 June 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Executive Committee Business

Heading

Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill: Final Stage

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5653129

Read the official Assembly record

Text

At the outset, I pay tribute to the Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone for her heartfelt and valuable contribution. As you rightly said, Mr Deputy Speaker, her family will be very proud of the contribution that she has just made. Today marks a truly significant moment. No legislation can erase the suffering endured by those who suffered in mother-and-baby institutions, Magdalene laundries and workhouses. The Bill cannot restore the years that were stolen from them or heal every wound or pain that so many women, children and families have carried throughout their lives, but it represents an important step towards acknowledging those wrongs, finally establishing truth and providing long-overdue recognition and redress. For too long, many victims and survivors felt ignored, dismissed or simply forgotten. Many carried those experiences in silence for decades; others, sadly, never lived to see this day. That is why I begin by paying tribute to victims and survivors who found the courage to tell their stories. Reliving deeply traumatic experiences was never easy, yet they did so because they wanted to ensure that future generations would know the truth and that what happened to them would never be repeated. I recognise the tireless work of the campaigners, advocacy groups and families who refused to let the issue disappear. Through years of persistence, determination and dignity, they ensured that their voices could no longer be ignored. Without their commitment, we would not be debating the Bill at its Final Stage today. The Bill will establish a statutory public inquiry alongside a redress scheme, both of which are important. Their establishment recognises that there is a responsibility not only to uncover truth but to acknowledge the profound harm that was caused. Although no financial payment can ever compensate victims for what they endured, redress is about far more than money. It is about providing recognition and dignity and acknowledging that grievous wrongs were committed and that society has a responsibility to confront those wrongs honestly. As legislators, we have a duty to ensure that the inquiry is independent, robust and capable of commanding the confidence of those whom it is intended to serve. Victims and survivors must remain at the heart of the process, because, above all else, the legislation is about them. Today's debate is not about rewriting history but about confronting history honestly. It is about recognising that vulnerable women and children were failed by institutions, by society and by the state. It is about ensuring that future generations understand what happened and why safeguards must always exist to protect the dignity, rights and welfare of every individual in our society. History cannot be rewritten. The pain that victims and survivors endured cannot be undone. The years that were stolen from them can never be restored. Today, however, the Assembly has the opportunity to ensure that those wrongs are finally recognised, that the truth, which has been evaded for so long, is finally pursued and that those who suffered the most are heard. For too long, many carried their burden in silence. Today, we acknowledge them. Today, we honour their courage and commit to ensuring that those injustices are never forgotten. I will briefly pay tribute to all involved in the process. First, I pay tribute to junior Minister Bunting and junior Minister Reilly, whose commitment to the Bill and to ensuring that it was shaped by victims and survivors cannot be overstated. I acknowledge the importance of the First Minister's being in the Chamber today. Her presence recognises the commitment of the First Minister and the deputy First Minister, the junior Ministers, the Assembly and the Executive to delivering on the legislation. I also pay tribute to the Chair of the Committee, Paula Bradshaw, who dedicated her time to the Bill not just professionally but personally. Paula has been a diligent Chair who has championed the interests of victims and survivors. I personally thank her for her work on the Bill. I pay tribute to Committee members, who also dedicated their time to the Bill, and to our Committee staff. I place on record my thanks to the Executive Office officials, including Martin and his team. I think that Martin saw more of our Committee than he did of his family in recent weeks to ensure that we got the Bill right. It is important that I recognise that. The arc of the moral universe is long, but, eventually, it bends towards justice. Today, through this legislation and the work of the people in the Public Gallery, we take another step towards bending that arc towards justice for those who, for too long, were denied what they deserved. With that, I commend the Bill to the House.

784 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 16:08 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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