
Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse, Fiona Ryan, spoke to the Irish World recently about her Office’s work representing Northern Ireland victims and survivors of non-recent/historical institutional childhood abuse.
The Irish World, a weekly newspaper for Irish people in Britain, met with the Commissioner as she embarked on a campaign to raise awareness among Northern Ireland victims and survivors now living in Great Britain about their right to access supports, services and financial redress compensation.
The Commissioner also wants to reach out to victims and survivors living outside Northern Ireland to ensure that as many as possible are aware that the Historical Institutional Abuse Redress Scheme closes to all applications, without exception, on 2 April 2025.
Speaking to David Hennessy from the Irish World, Fiona said:
“I feel so strongly about reaching Northern Ireland victims and survivors of institutional child abuse who left Northern Ireland and might not even be aware of the entitlements that they have in Northern Ireland.”
“There is a deadline for that, 2 April, so you have a very small window to apply, and I am very, very concerned that people may miss the window.”
Fiona continued:
“We don’t know the numbers of the children who went through the institutions, and we don’t know the numbers of the children who eventually left to go to Britain, but we do know that Britain was probably the main place that they did go.”
The Commissioner is also keen to ensure that victims and survivors know that, although 2 April is the deadline for applying for financial redress compensation, her Office and its services will continue beyond that date.
“It’s just to get that message to victims and survivors who may be out there that there are services there for them, to support them and that they can make contact with my office, and we will be delighted to hear from them.
“I mean one of the real privileges of my job is to meet with survivors and hear of their experiences and feel from their perspective that they know that they can talk to me and that I will listen, and we will represent their interests.”
You can talk to the Office of the Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse in complete confidence on 028 9054 4985 (+44 28 9054 4985 if dialling internationally) or by emailing info@cosica-ni.org.
Read the full Irish World article here.