Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Irish PM apologizes on behalf of the state for the ‘profound generational wrong’ inflicted on mother-and-baby-home residents

Irish PM apologizes on behalf of the state for the ‘profound generational wrong’ inflicted on mother-and-baby-home residents

The Irish prime minister has issued an apology on behalf of the state following an investigation into the country's mother and baby homes, which revealed an "appalling level of infant mortality” at the institutions.

Speaking to lawmakers on Wednesday, Prime Minister Micheál Martin apologized on behalf of the state for the “profound and generational wrong” visited on the survivors of mother-and-baby homes.

"I apologize for the shame and stigma which they were subjected to and which, for some, remains a burden to this day,” Martin said.

"In apologizing, I want to emphasize that each of you were in an institution because of the wrongs of others. Each of you is blameless, each of you did nothing wrong and has nothing to be ashamed of. Each of you deserved so much better."


A report from the official inquiry, which was six years in the making, highlighted that around 9,000 children died in 18 of the institutions across Ireland, representing 15 percent of all those who were born in the homes.

Martin added that the government would act on the report and make legislative changes necessary to “at least start to heal the wounds that endure.”

Unmarried mothers faced a “stifling, oppressive and brutally misogynistic culture” for decades, the country’s children’s minister, Roderic O’Gorman, said on Tuesday, when publishing the inquiry’s report.

The Catholic church also commented on the report on Tuesday. Archbishop Eamon Martin, the church’s most senior official in Ireland, apologized "unreservedly" for the suffering the victims of the institutions experienced between the years of 1922 and 1998.

“I accept that the Church was clearly part of that culture in which people were frequently stigmatized, judged and rejected,” he said.

The mother-and-baby homes covered by the inquiry were established in the 20th century and run by the church, as well as local authorities. Women and girls who became pregnant outside of marriage, including victims of sexual assault, were frequently sent there to give birth.

Many children born in the homes have been unable to trace their families due to restrictions on accessing records. The last of the institutions closed in the late 1990s.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×