"Leaking of Mother and Baby Homes report details unacceptable" - Ógra Aontú
Ógra Aontú have hit out at the leaking of details of the mother and baby homes report to a newspaper this morning.
Public Relations Officer for Ógra Aontú, Luke Peter Silke said: "I'm from Tuam myself, so naturally I have been following this story for many years. In my spare time I work to assist survivors of mother and baby homes in their efforts to locate information about their families and biological parents. I can tell you that the newspaper's reporting of the findings of the Commission has today caused untold hurt to survivors and their families"
Luke-Peter continued: "Our party leader, Peadar Tóibín TD, has previously sought assurances from Minister O'Gorman that survivors would get this report before the media. It is disappointing to see headlines today, while survivors themselves are left in the dark. It is Aontú's firm belief that survivors should be treated with the utmost respect and sensitivity at this time. There is a tragic irony in the fact that a few months ago government Ministers were introducing and defending legislation to seal mother and baby home records for 30 years, and today we see a leak from the Department of Children of highly destressing content".
"I will be attending a meeting with the Taoiseach and Minister for Children on Tuesday in relation to the report, and will be registering my complaint at that meeting. The helpline for survivors is not being manned today, which again is unfair, survivors are now left confused, upset, hurt and angry, with nobody available from the Department to speak to them. A Minister for State at the Department of Children assures me this afternoon that work is currently underway to restore this phone line. I would urge journalists not to publish content which has been leaked to them through unofficial channels. It is not fair on survivors", concluded Luke-Peter.
