The work of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse will not be completed within the two years set by the Act which established it.
More than 1,200 people gave evidence to the commission in its first 10 months, according to its interim report.
The report, released recently to lawyers acting for the victims, states that it will not be possible for it to complete its work within the period envisaged by the Act. This is because of the volume of work it still has to do, and what it describes as "obstacles", particularly delays from the Government in setting up a compensation scheme and a legal assistance scheme for victims.
"The commission's ability to fulfil its statutory functions is contingent on proper and prompt support being forthcoming. It is entitled to expect that this will happen." Following its first public sitting in June last year, the commission advertised in Ireland and the United Kingdom, and through groups working with the victims of child abuse, asking people to come forward with evidence. The commission will accept requests to give evidence up to July 31st. The commission has two committees, one to examine the extent of and responsibility for the abuse of children in various institutions, and the other to offer the victims an opportunity to give details of their individual experiences. The former is the investigation committee, and its officers are practising barristers, and the latter the confidential committee.
Evidence given to the investigation committee may be challenged, but not that given to the confidential committee, whose proceedings are sealed from the other committee.
By the end of April, 524 people wanted to give evidence to the confidential committee, of whom 59 per cent were men and almost 56 per cent were over the age of 50. Almost a third live outside the State. The hearings of this committee began in September. The number willing to give evidence to the investigation committee had reached 714 by the end of April, of whom 68 per cent were men, and 56 per cent over 50.
Again, almost a third live outside the State. About 100 of these wished to give evidence about abuse in a non-residential schools. The commission noted delays in obtaining documentation on the institutions involved, but said this was due to the volume of documents involved, relating to more than 55 reformatories and industrial schools. The Department of Education is making voluntary discovery of all the documents in its possession relating to these institutions.
The commission identified the issue of tracing family members of those abused in institutions as urgent. Many were separated from parents or other family members in childhood, and raised in institutions.
The commission has also begun work on necessary steps to protect children in institutions now and in the future.
It will be carrying out consultation with a view to publishing recommendations, which will cover areas such as recruitment, training, support and supervision of personnel, the regulation and supervision of such institutions, complaints procedures and mechanisms for ensuring that the voice of the child is heard.
According to the interim report, the commission is willing to carry out an investigation of the use of babies and children in institutions for vaccine trials in the early 1960s and early 1970s, and is awaiting a Government order under the Act setting out the details.
The membership of the commission will have to be expanded to deal with this new aspect of its work.