Stormont urged to remove ‘cruel clause' in mother and baby homes Bill
More than 14,000 women and girls are thought to have passed through the institutions, with many found to have been mistreated, held against their will and forced to give up their children for adoption.
The Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill was introduced at the Assembly earlier this year, and is being scrutinised by the Executive Office Committee.
The Bill is to establish a statutory public inquiry and a statutory redress scheme, with a payment of £10,000 to be made to eligible claimants, and a £2,000 payment to eligible family members on behalf of a loved one who has died since September 29 2011.
Adele Johnstone, of Birth Mothers and their Child Together (BMATCT), described the 2011 cut-off date as 'cruel'.
'On one hand we are pleased we have finally got as far as the legislation being written but there needs to be a lot of work done to make it acceptable to victims and survivors,' she said.
'There are a lot of aspects that need to be discussed and hopefully amended.
'We are quite hopeful going forward, but it all depends on their decisions at the end of the day.
'It's been a long, long campaign, and a long, hard campaign, jumping through hoops, meeting ministers, baring our souls to the public. It's not easy.
'But with one cruel clause in the Bill, they have written out thousands of women, girls and their children.
'The 2011 date for posthumous claims is utterly unacceptable and we will continue to fight that.'
Roisin and Lisa Morris were among those who attended Stormont on Monday.
Their mother Madeline Morris was sent to the Marianville Mother and Baby Home on the Ormeau Road in south Belfast when she was 18, after becoming pregnant, and forced to give her baby up for adoption.
Mrs Morris died in 1992, and the Bill as it is currently written will not recognise her.
'That's why we're here today,' Roisin Morris said, adding that they had not found out what happened to their mother until her first child came searching for her last year.
Lisa Morris said: 'As things stand at the minute, our mummy won't be recognised, and it's very unfair, so we're going to be her voice.'
Meanwhile the Executive Office Committee has made an appeal to hear from people directly affected by the Bill, and is holding a series of events.
Committee chairwoman Paula Bradshaw said: 'This is a Bill to make provision relating to one of the most distressing and hurtful episodes in Northern Ireland's history.
'At this stage, the committee's role is to ensure that the Bill leads to the creation of a truth and redress scheme that is strong, robust, fit for purpose, and capable of delivering the greatest possible impact.
'Getting the foundations of the Inquiry and the Redress Scheme right is essential, and the Committee takes this responsibility extremely seriously.
'Whilst personal narratives and testimony are not the focus at this stage, they remain a vital part of the broader context, having significantly informed the Bill's creation and will help us in our role of scrutinising this important piece of legislation.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
Tens of thousands take to streets for annual July 12 Orange Order parades
The festivities will be spread across 19 main locations to mark the 334th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne where the Protestant King William of Orange triumphed over the Catholic King James II. It comes after the burning of bonfires at an estimated 300 locations in loyalist neighbourhoods across the region on Thursday and Friday nights. On Sunday morning, an Orange Order parade has been permitted to pass Ardoyne shops in north Belfast restricted to one band and 50 members of the order. It is a return parade at a former flashpoint which traditionally took place on the evening of July 12 often resulting in violent scenes. Meanwhile, the traditional July 13 events organised by the Royal Black Preceptory in the village of Scarva, Co Armagh will take place on Monday. The event includes a parade as well as a sham fight between actors playing rival monarchs William and James. While most of the bonfires passed off peacefully, there was condemnation after effigies of migrants in a boat were burned on a bonfire in Moygashel, Co Tyrone. Pictures of the Irish rap band Kneecap and Irish flags were also burned on other pyres. But the most contentious bonfire was located on a site containing asbestos and close to an electricity sub station off the Donegall Road in south Belfast. Of all the loyal order parades to take place on Saturday, around 30 have been officially categorised as sensitive by the Parades Commission. Locations of sensitive parades this year include Belfast, Coleraine, Keady, Dunloy, Rasharkin, Strabane, Newtownabbey, Maghera, Newtownbutler, Portadown, Glengormley and Bellaghy. More than 4,000 police officers and police staff will be working on July 12. On the 11th night, around 1,200 officers were deployed to monitor public safety at bonfires. The cost of policing parades and bonfires in Northern Ireland through spring and summer was £6.1 million last year, a figure that was up £1.5 million on the previous year. The bill, which covers the period April 1 to August 31, also includes the cost of policing republican commemorations around Easter and events to mark the mid-August anniversary of the introduction of internment without trial during the Troubles. The PSNI expects the costs in 2025 to be higher still. This is due to falling police numbers and the resultant increased reliance on paying overtime to ensure enough officers are on duty for the events. Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has urged mutual respect in the marking of events. 'These celebrations and others that occur throughout the year are a valued part of Northern Ireland's local history and culture,' he said. 'They can and should be occasions where communities come together in a spirit of inclusiveness and pride, through local traditions. 'Mutual respect is the foundation of strong, safe communities. 'There is no place for hate or intimidation—only space for celebration that welcomes and celebrates not divides. 'Our officers will be on the ground throughout the weekend, working in partnership with community leaders, event organisers, and local representatives to support lawful, peaceful, and family-friendly events. However where necessary, we will take firm and proportionate action to keep people safe. 'Our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of everyone. 'Let's ensure that this weekend reflects the very best of our communities: proud, respectful, and united.'
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Tens of thousands take to streets for annual July 12 Orange Order parades
The festivities will be spread across 19 main locations to mark the 334th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne where the Protestant King William of Orange triumphed over the Catholic King James II. It comes after the burning of bonfires at an estimated 300 locations in loyalist neighbourhoods across the region on Thursday and Friday nights. On Sunday morning, an Orange Order parade has been permitted to pass Ardoyne shops in north Belfast restricted to one band and 50 members of the order. It is a return parade at a former flashpoint which traditionally took place on the evening of July 12 often resulting in violent scenes. Meanwhile, the traditional July 13 events organised by the Royal Black Preceptory in the village of Scarva, Co Armagh will take place on Monday. The event includes a parade as well as a sham fight between actors playing rival monarchs William and James. While most of the bonfires passed off peacefully, there was condemnation after effigies of migrants in a boat were burned on a bonfire in Moygashel, Co Tyrone. Pictures of the Irish rap band Kneecap and Irish flags were also burned on other pyres. But the most contentious bonfire was located on a site containing asbestos and close to an electricity sub station off the Donegall Road in south Belfast. Of all the loyal order parades to take place on Saturday, around 30 have been officially categorised as sensitive by the Parades Commission. Locations of sensitive parades this year include Belfast, Coleraine, Keady, Dunloy, Rasharkin, Strabane, Newtownabbey, Maghera, Newtownbutler, Portadown, Glengormley and Bellaghy. More than 4,000 police officers and police staff will be working on July 12. On the 11th night, around 1,200 officers were deployed to monitor public safety at bonfires. The cost of policing parades and bonfires in Northern Ireland through spring and summer was £6.1 million last year, a figure that was up £1.5 million on the previous year. The bill, which covers the period April 1 to August 31, also includes the cost of policing republican commemorations around Easter and events to mark the mid-August anniversary of the introduction of internment without trial during the Troubles. The PSNI expects the costs in 2025 to be higher still. This is due to falling police numbers and the resultant increased reliance on paying overtime to ensure enough officers are on duty for the events. Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has urged mutual respect in the marking of events. 'These celebrations and others that occur throughout the year are a valued part of Northern Ireland's local history and culture,' he said. 'They can and should be occasions where communities come together in a spirit of inclusiveness and pride, through local traditions. 'Mutual respect is the foundation of strong, safe communities. 'There is no place for hate or intimidation—only space for celebration that welcomes and celebrates not divides. 'Our officers will be on the ground throughout the weekend, working in partnership with community leaders, event organisers, and local representatives to support lawful, peaceful, and family-friendly events. However where necessary, we will take firm and proportionate action to keep people safe. 'Our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of everyone. 'Let's ensure that this weekend reflects the very best of our communities: proud, respectful, and united.'
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
The Twelfth: Thousands to attend NI's Orange Order parades
Crowds will to line the streets of cities, towns and villages all over Northern Ireland on Saturday to attend Twelfth of July parades. Thousands of Orange Order members take part in the annual marches to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne in event is also a celebration of Protestant traditions and Ulster-Scots of local Orange lodges will be joined on parade by visiting lodges from Scotland and further afield. They will be accompanied by marching bands and supported by tens of thousands of spectators, many of whom dress up in colourful costume for the occasion. This year's events are concentrated at 18 locations, with members travelling to converge with neighbouring lodges at the nearest host venue. This year marks the 335th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne, which took place outside Drogheda in what is now the Republic of Ireland. The battle ended in victory for the Protestant King William III over his Catholic father-in-law, the deposed King James II. On Friday night, hundreds of bonfires were lit to mark Eleventh Night - a tradition observed by many unionist communities on the eve of the bonfires commemorate the actions of King William III's supporters in 1690, who lit fires across the countryside to welcome and guide him to the battle site. Most Eleventh Night bonfires pass without incident, but some are controversial due to their height or location, or because they contain symbols considered year a bonfire in south Belfast caused concern because of the presence of asbestos on the site, and the fact it was close to an electricity substation which supplies power to two nearby bonfire, between the Donegall Road and the Westlink, was lit on Friday night after police confirmed they would not assist in removing it.
