State to issue formal apology to survivors of industrial school abuse today

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris are scheduled to deliver a formal apology to industrial school survivors at the Dáil later today.

The Government agreed last month to issue a formal State apology to survivor of abuse in Ireland’s industrial and reformatory schools, following decades of campaigning and a 51-day hunger strike that ended last November.

The move follows mediation talks with survivor who had protested outside Leinster House over the lack of adequate State support.

As compensation for the enduring impact of their childhood experiences, survivors sought a State contributory pension and a Health Amendment Act (HAA) card. Alongside the apology, the Government has also approved a package of additional measures for survivors, including improved access to healthcare, education, housing supports, and assistance with funeral cost.

While some supports were introduced in 2023, these did not include pension-type payments or health access cards, both of which survivor say are essential to address long-term physical and mental health issues linked to abuse, forced labour, and trauma.

"With the apology we were told we'd get lifelong support and were here still trying to get those supports in place for 4,000 living survivors of industrial abuse," said Mary Dunleavy Green, a survivor of the reformatory schools and hunger striker. Speaking on the role of the government she said "They’re the ones who did this to us, they’re the one who are responsible, they’re the ones who have to step up to the plate."

 

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