Report of the Inter-Departmental Working Group established to examine the health and wellbeing recommendations contained in the First Report of the Collaborative Forum

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr Katherine Zappone TD, established a Collaborative Forum in June 2018 to facilitate dialogue and action on issues of concern to Former Residents of Mother and Baby Homes and related institutions. The First Report of the Forum was provided to Minister Zappone in December 2018 and contains forty-three wide-ranging recommendations across three areas of focus, including (1) Information, Identity, Terminology, and Mis-Representation; (2) Health and Well-being Supports and (3) Memorialisation and Personal Narratives.

Following Government consideration of the recommendations on 15 April 2019, it was agreed (amongst other actions) that the Minister for Health would develop proposals for a package of health and wellbeing supports, including access to any necessary health and social care measures, for Former Residents of related institutions. A focused Working Group was therefore convened by the Minister for Health in May 2019 to undertake an extensive assessment of the twenty-one health and wellbeing recommendations contained in the First Report and to develop proposals for a package of health and wellbeing supports. A Memorandum was submitted to Cabinet on 19 December, providing a formal update to Government on the outcome of the Working Group process.

The Report of the Working Group can be accessed below.