Truth Recovery Independent Panel Permanent Archive Consultation
Overview
The Truth Recovery Independent Panel is required to contribute to the drafting of legislation to establish a permanent independent archive of records relating to historical institutions and the individuals who spent time in them, adoption records, and other records relating to children in state care.
The Panel has considered this in several of its meetings and has had ongoing contacts with various stakeholders as part of its discussions.
Records are crucial in terms of individual and community identity and memory. Lack of records, or difficulties in gaining access to records, limits our ability to establish and understand our identities and memories, and can add to the trauma experienced by victims-survivors and their families. It can also limit a wider understanding of how institutions worked and how they were managed and operated on an ongoing basis.
The Panel has undertaken work to identify and assess records relevant to Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries, Workhouses and other institutions in Northern Ireland, as well as their associated pathways and practices. Such records may be held by public bodies or private organisations (for example, religious orders or institutions).
Establishing a Truth Recovery Archive will involve gathering these records, and others yet to be identified, into a central location, where they can be suitably stored, organised and protected and where they can be accessed by affected people and by researchers, historians and the wider public.
The advantages of such an approach include:
- A central, comprehensive source of records relating to historical institutions and people who spent time in them, adoption records, and other records relating to children in state care.
- The preservation and secure storage of all relevant records to recognised archival standards.
- Consistent organisation and cataloguing of all relevant records, to ensure a comprehensive knowledge of what records are held and where they are located.
- Ongoing collection of additional relevant records, including testimonies.
- Clear and consistent procedures for victims-survivors who wish to access their own personal records, along with appropriate assistance and supports.
- Clear and consistent procedures for others, including historians and researchers, who wish to access and use the records.
- An ongoing role for victims-survivors in the management of the Archive, how it operates and how it manages the records in its care.
- Dedicated resources to ensure that records are stored, catalogued, digitised and accessed in an appropriate manner on an ongoing basis.
- Opportunities for research, educational and other uses to promote awareness of the issues relevant to the Archive.
Why your views matter
Establishment of the Archive will require legislation to be introduced in the Assembly, to ensure that the Archive is properly established, managed and resourced. Once established, those involved in managing the Archive will need to carefully develop the necessary policies and procedures for the ongoing operation of the Archive. Many of the tasks involved, such as cataloguing and digitisaton, require significant resources and can be time-consuming. The Archive will need to agree priorities and develop a phased approach to implementation.
The Panel is seeking your views on the suggestions in survey and will review and revise the suggestions on the basis of comments received during the consultation process.
The consultation process provides an opportunity for those directly affected, and their relatives and advocates, to have a say in the Panel’s final recommendations regarding the Truth Recovery Archive.
Share Your Views on a Permanent Archive
Events
-
In-Person Archive Consultation Engagement Session
From 27 Feb 2025 at 14:00 to 27 Feb 2025 at 15:30A presentation by the Panel, and an opportunity for you to ask questions or raise points of interest relating to the establishment of the Archive.
This is an in-person event and will take place at the Europa Hotel, Belfast.
If you are interested in attending this event please contact the Truth Recovery Independent Panel Secretariat, by emailing secretariat@independentpanel.org.uk -
Online Archive Consultation Engagement Session
From 27 Feb 2025 at 18:00 to 27 Feb 2025 at 19:30A presentation by the Panel, and an opportunity for you to ask questions or raise points of interest relating to the establishment of the Archive.
This is an online event and will take place on Zoom.
If you are interested in attending this event please contact the Truth Recovery Independent Panel Secretariat, by emailing secretariat@independentpanel.org.uk
Audiences
- All stakeholders
Interests
- Consultation
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