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Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry: Woman appeals for help to trace medical records | Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry: Woman appeals for help to trace medical records |
(about 5 hours later) | |
A witness at the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry has appealed for help to trace her Irish family's medical records. | A witness at the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry has appealed for help to trace her Irish family's medical records. |
The woman was shipped from Nazareth House in Belfast to Australia when she was four. | The woman was shipped from Nazareth House in Belfast to Australia when she was four. |
Now in her 60s, she said she wanted to see her records because two of her children had died at a young age. | Now in her 60s, she said she wanted to see her records because two of her children had died at a young age. |
She said the information was "extremely important" as she had other children and grandchildren. | She said the information was "extremely important" as she had other children and grandchildren. |
She told the inquiry sitting in Banbridge on Wednesday that she was born to a Catholic mother in Dungannon and said she found out in recent years that her father was "a Protestant landowner". | She told the inquiry sitting in Banbridge on Wednesday that she was born to a Catholic mother in Dungannon and said she found out in recent years that her father was "a Protestant landowner". |
Explaining that one of her daughters had died as a baby, and a son died suddenly aged 26, in 2005, she said: "I need to know my health history because of the fact I have lost two children and there is nothing physically or medically that we can find out here in Australia." | Explaining that one of her daughters had died as a baby, and a son died suddenly aged 26, in 2005, she said: "I need to know my health history because of the fact I have lost two children and there is nothing physically or medically that we can find out here in Australia." |
She said her other children and grandchildren needed to be aware of the medical history of her maternal and paternal families in Northern Ireland. | She said her other children and grandchildren needed to be aware of the medical history of her maternal and paternal families in Northern Ireland. |
The inquiry also heard on Wednesday about the state's knowledge of the migrant scheme. | |
Senior counsel to the inquiry, Christine Smith, presented details of a letter from the Department of Home Affairs in 1955. | |
It was written after an inspector from the department visited Nazareth House in Belfast. | |
The inspector was told that another Catholic Children's Home, Rubane House in Kircubbin, could not cope with the numbers being sent there from Belfast. | |
The alternative being considered, the letter suggested, was to send children to Australia. | |
The inspector wrote: "Rubane can't absorb all their output and this is how they're to be disposed of." | |
The HIA inquiry is examining the extent of child abuse in religious and state-run institutions in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 1995. | The HIA inquiry is examining the extent of child abuse in religious and state-run institutions in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 1995. |
Last week, the inquiry heard that 131 children from Northern Ireland, some as young as five, were sent to Australia as child migrants. | Last week, the inquiry heard that 131 children from Northern Ireland, some as young as five, were sent to Australia as child migrants. |
Their evidence is due to be heard either by video link or in written statements over the next few weeks. | Their evidence is due to be heard either by video link or in written statements over the next few weeks. |
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