Letter to Irish Times – Survivors

Basic Human Rights Denied as Children, Delayed as Adults

Survivors of Institutional Abuse hold a unique and distinct place in modern Irish History. Generations of Irish Children were sentenced by the courts in this country to “serve” varying degrees of years in one of Ireland’s Industrial schools.

Many of these children were amongst Irelands most vulnerable. They looked for care, for love, for compassion and most importantly basic Human Rights. Many if not all of these, whilst they were in the care of our state, had their basic Human Rights cruelly and brutally taken away from them. Their right to proper education, a safe place to live, proper healthcare and adequate food were denied. All lived in constant psychological fear, all were forcefully beaten and many were raped as children whilst in the care of the state.

When these children eventually reached an age where they could be free of this continued abuse, they left Irelands Industrial Schools with little education, limited life skills, harrowing memories and years of constant denigration ingrained into their minds and bodies. Many went on to litter the many Institutions across Ireland and further afield, struggling to cope with years of brutal mistreatment and the mental Institutions, our streets, homeless shelters and prisons bear testament to this, in a word many became; institutionalised.

Many who had the courage to speak of their experiences were ignored, dismissed as being “liars” and or “trouble makers”. They were kept silenced in some cases for nearly 40 Years. This ruined relationships, broke down marriages and split families, as they could not understand why their loved one was unable to show affection.

To re-iterate, this problem was caused by our state, and their “collective failure to intervene……to come to their rescue”

If you had this beginning in life how would you rate your chances of gaining an education, being able to hold onto relationships, providing a definitive future for you and your loved ones or having equal opportunity for employment? Would you need additional assistance as an adult, still struggling to cope with the pain of a childhood lost, from the very state that caused you so much pain as a child? It is natural as Irish people, who at our very core are naturally generous, understanding and compassionate to appreciate the importance of supporting Survivors and their families as they reach their twilight in life, offering them some form of priority in their basic Rights. Why then do Survivors of Institutional Abuse still suffer through prolonged access to their basic Human Rights, merely being considered as another statistic?

Through our frontline work with Survivors of Institutional Abuse, basic Rights such as Housing, Welfare and Health are being denied and prolonged to Survivors and their family members. Feelings of pain, anguish and mistrust are being re-ignited in Survivors life’s by this basic denial to offer Survivors a Priority of Service in areas they never had an opportunity to develop, due to their disadvantaged beginning. Our average completion rates in reaching a successful conclusion on a Survivors journey over a 90 day period is nearly 75% for the majority of supports needed.

When this same statistic is compared with Housing and Welfare / Health the figure equates to 20% and 32% respectively. This reflects poorly on a state who is failing in its obligation to adequately support the very people they failed to support as children. This is simply not good enough. We must ensure that these are improved and through simple steps, such as a designated contact in each of the Housing and Welfare departments in every corner of Ireland, a published Newsletter 4 times a year, with information on Survivors needs to ensure these contacts are privy to information when dealing with Survivors. Additionally a yearly Forum where people / organisations who have an effect on Survivors lives can share knowledge and best practice.

It is with this in mind that I write this piece, calling on the Government to initiate and the public to support nominating Survivors and their families as a unique citizen Group in Irish Society. This could be cost neutral and ensure that Survivors have the ability to live the remaining years of their lives with some dignity, respect and understanding that we as a people are truly sorry for our Government and states failure to protect our most vulnerable in their time of need.

This time of need has not concluded and we must appreciate this. Until every Survivor (and family member) has the opportunity and priority access to housing, welfare and health, we will continue to fail as a country in our response to the needs of Survivors.

We cannot heal the pain Survivors are faced with every day, but we can help Survivors live with their pain and enjoy some semblance of an adequate living standard.

Whilst I am not a Survivor myself, the supports needed is not an enigma. The History of Survivors lends itself to the creation of many vulnerable individuals and families in Ireland and our diaspora and they all have one unique trait in common. The difficulties many are faced with every day of their lives, is as a direct result of our States involvement in their childhood. Surely that very same state should have the same input into their adulthood only on a more positive and unconditional level.

As the World Health Organisation defines Health and well-being: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.

Our time, as citizens, to adequately support Survivors (and their families) has to come now. No more can we hide behind “what has already been done”. Until every Survivor has access to Priority in Welfare, in Health and Housing we will continue to fail them. It is time we all stood up and offered them their basic human Rights and not force them to go through a system that has failed them all their lives, it is the least we owe them.

Micheál Walsh,
Outreach Manager, Waterford & Eastern Region
Right of Place Second Chance
www.rightofplace.com for Further information