A MEMORIAL has been unveiled at Stormont in honour of the victims and survivors of institutional abuse in Northern Ireland.
The plaque was revealed in a ceremony led by First Minister Michelle O’Neill.
“Today we honour the victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse and acknowledge the profound wrong done to children who should have been protected and cared for,” she said.
“What happened was never their fault.”
The First Minister added: “This memorial stands as a permanent acknowledgement of those failures by individuals, organisations and the State, who had a duty to protect children.
“The wording of the plaque reflects the voices of victims and survivors, whose courage in speaking out made this possible.”
Pictured at the memorial plaque unveiling (l-r) are NI Assembly Speaker Edwin Poots, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, First Minister Michelle O’Neill, and Fiona Ryan, Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood AbuseVictims and survivors were in attendance at the unveiling ceremony, along with representative groups and families of victims who died before they could see the memorial put in place.
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly was also at the ceremony.
She said: “Victims and survivors have courageously shared their experiences and brought truth into the open.
“Their voices have shaped this memorial and continue to guide how we acknowledge the past and protect children today.
“We remember those who did not live to see recognition, and we remain committed to listening to survivors and ensuring their experiences help build a safer future for every child.”
Erecting a permanent memorial to victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse in Northern Ireland was one of the recommendations of the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, which was chaired by Sir Anthony Hart and the findings of which reported in 2017.
“We are of the opinion that a memorial should be erected to remind legislators and others of what many children experienced in residential homes,” the report stated.
“We recommend that a suitable physical memorial should be erected in Parliament Buildings, or in the grounds of the Stormont Estate,” they added.
The memorial is located in the Great Hall of Parliament Buildings in Stormont.
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