Reacting to the news that two of the institutions involved in negotiations with the Executive will make contributions to redress for victims and survivors of historical institutional childhood abuse, Fiona Ryan, Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse, said:
“I welcome that progress has been made in relation to the contributions from two of the relevant six institutions. There are also four other institutions which are specifically mentioned by the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry report, that are yet to make any payments. It should never have been the case that survivors have had to wait this long for those institutions where systemic failings took place to honour the Inquiry’s recommendations.
“For victims and survivors, this represents a distinct lack of accountability for the pain and suffering that was inflicted on them in these institutions. I have stated that reparations such as these are a matter of accountability and for many victims and survivors may be the only justice and accountability that they will see.
“These payments are to address the cost of redress and specialist services. Specialist services need to be considered beyond the 10-year horizon in recognition that the lifelong legacy of abuse in childhood is exactly that, a lifelong legacy. This legacy will intersect with the health and social risks associated with aging as victims and survivors get older.
“We are aware of the psychological and emotional impact of the abuse victims and survivors have suffered and are suffering as a result of being abused as children and this can manifest in poor mental health, addiction and psycho-social issues. Physical neglect in childhood, as well as physical and sexual abuse, also have very real impact on physical health. The general health and social care services, even with specialist services, are liable to be the primary support to victims and survivors.
“The real cost to the state of the ongoing supports to victims and survivors of historical institutional childhood abuse is likely to be greater than proportionate contributions to the cost of redress and specialist services. Consideration needs to be urgently given to making further provision for the potentially increasing physical and mental health needs of victims and survivors now and in the future”.