NORTHERN IRELAND
Irish Times
Gerry Moriarty
Wed, Nov 4, 2015
The North’s Historical Institutional Abuse inquiry is to investigate a further six institutions, bringing the total number to 22, the inquiry chairman Sir Anthony Hart has announced.
The inquiry also wants victims of abuse to be properly compensated, he said.
Sir Anthony, a retired Belfast High Court judge, said despite the additional investigations that the inquiry would complete its work by July next year and submit its report in January 2017. Last year the Northern Executive gave the inquiry an extra year to complete its work.
In drawing up the list of six additional institutions, Sir Anthony said the inquiry had carefully considered information in respect of 54 homes and institutions in relation to which at least one person had made an allegation.
“We recognise that there may be a number of people who will be disappointed that we are not going to hold public hearings into every home or institution against which allegations have been made, but, as we have explained, we are satisfied that to extend the Inquiry for at least another two years at a cost of at least £8 million to the taxpayer would not be justified because it would not add to our understanding of the nature and extent of systemic abuse of children in homes and institutions,” he added.
The inquiry has been running since January last year and Wednesday is its 157th sitting.
The additional institutions to be included are: Manor House, a Church of Ireland children’s home near Lisburn, Co Antrim; Millisle Borstal in Co Down; St Joseph’s Catholic training school for girls at Middletown, Co Armagh; and three Good Shepherd Catholic convents in Derry, Belfast and Newry.
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