Mistakes were made in the way the Government handled the legislation surrounding records from Mother & Baby Homes according to Fianna Fáil Deputy Jackie Cahill.
The legislation signed into law over the weekend passed a database – created by a Commission of Investigation – on to Tusla to help with its tracing efforts, while part of an archive would be sealed for 30 years.
However, the Attorney General has said the rights of citizens may be affected, as GDPR says people should have access to personal information about themselves.
Speaking on Tipp Today earlier Thurles TD Jackie Cahill admitted the situation should have been handled much better.
“It was poor and that is to put it mildly.”
“There wasn’t near enough consultation with the survivor groups – they didn’t understand what we were doing last week. There was serious miscommunication between the Government and the survivor groups.”
“In my time in politics I’ve never seen such a reaction to legislation and as I said it was through miscommunication. We did our best over the weekend to communicate to people, to show why we did this.”
A local Mother and Baby Home survivor is calling the move the “best u-turn in Irish history.”
Teresa Collins, who was born at Sean Ross Abbey in Roscrea, has been one of those leading calls for transparency into the findings of the Commission of Investigation.
She’s pleased with the new decision to permit access to the personal records.
“It was the best u-turn in Irish history that we’re after seeing – I don’t care what Jackie Cahill says or what Michael Lowry says.”
“They got legal advice that kind of said ‘lads, ye’re going against their constitutional rights’ so if they want cases from everybody taking legal action that’s where they had to stop.”
