Sir, – In his article "Impugning the mother and baby commission does not serve victims" (Opinion & Analysis, February 2nd), your religious affairs correspondent Patsy McGarry argues that many of those critical of the report are simply grandstanding and writes: "Less critical have been the women and children who have been in those institutions. The most important people involved."
On what does he base this statement?
I am one of those “people involved” as I was in one of these institutions and gave evidence to the commission.
I am not happy with the report on a number of levels and have made my views clear to the Minister.
My experience may be considered anecdotal, but anyone who listened carefully to the very many people interviewed in the media since the report was published would conclude that many of those women and their children are also critical of the report. I would also suggest that a number of those who would be most critical of it are sadly no longer with us, or too old or ill to have participated in the process.
He also refers to what he terms “red herrings”, ie the destruction of evidence given by witnesses before the confidential committee.
To justify this, he cites the report as saying that witnesses were asked for permission to record their evidence “on the clear understanding that the recordings would be used only as an aide-mémoire for the researcher when compiling the report and would then be destroyed”.
This may well be so – I cannot comment as I did not give evidence to the confidential committee – but I am not sure what the term “clear understanding” means here. What is clear is that many of those witnesses did not understand that this would happen and that they are therefore upset.
While Patsy McGarry may have a point about certain commentators jumping on the bandwagon, this applies equally to the very many articles of this type, patronising the victims they claim to care about.
For my part, I am grateful to those, including TDs and Senators, giving voice to the many who, for whatever reason, cannot speak out for themselves. – Yours, etc,
ANNE M HARRIS,
Cenac,
France.