NORTHERN IRELAND
Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry
On Wednesday 4 November 2015, the Chairman of the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, Sir Anthony Hart, made a statement reviewing the Inquiry’s progress to date and outlining the Inquiry’s plans for the remainder of its work.
In his statement the Chairman provided a final list of the institutions that the Inquiry will be examining through oral hearings. Although it adds some new names to the original list announced in September 2013 he confirmed that this will not change the Inquiry’s timetable and that hearings will still be completed by mid-July 2016 and the report delivered in January 2017.
Under the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference, the report must contain a recommendation on “the requirement or desirability for redress to be provided by the institution and/or the Executive to meet the particular needs of victims”.
From the beginning of the Inquiry, therefore, we have been giving considerable attention to the subject of redress and indeed have asked all those who have given evidence in Banbridge for their views on the matter.
However we realise that those who have given evidence may on reflection have further suggestions or comments and that not all applicants to the Inquiry will have an opportunity to give oral evidence, either because the institution they attended will not be the subject of oral hearings or because they chose to speak to the Acknowledgement Forum only.
We have decided therefore to send a short questionnaire to every applicant to the Inquiry. A copy is also available on the Inquiry’s website and may be downloaded by any applicant. It will only take a few minutes to complete and we hope that every applicant will respond as soon as possible by returning a completed questionnaire. The closing date for the return of questionnaires is Friday 8 January 2016.
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