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Our Engagements with Survivors and Affected Persons and other stakeholders
This section on the website contains information on the engagements with Survivors and Affected Persons, their families, support organisations and other key stakeholders since the establishment of the Special Advocate office in March 2024.
Engagements undertaken by the Special Advocate for Survivors
In her role as Special Advocate, Patricia regularly engages with individuals and Survivor groups to hear their experiences, insights, ideas and feedback.
The Special Advocate has also established connections with partner & support organisations both in Ireland and overseas, and meets to discuss their work with those affected by institutional abuse and forced family separation.
The office of the Special Advocate welcomes engagement from Survivors and Affected Persons and other stakeholders living in Ireland and overseas
Key Engagement Stats
Patricia’s priority as Special Advocate has been to hear people’s experiences of institutional abuse and forced family separation and to listen to the issues affecting them in order to raise these matters with government.
1247
276
977
Engagements with overseas Survivors
The Special Advocate has engaged with Survivors and Affected Persons in a number of countries around the world since March 2024. Many Survivors left Ireland after their experiences of incarceration, confinement or abuse in institutions, or were illegally trafficked or adopted as part of Ireland’s legacy of forced family separation.
Survivors of institutional abuse are an important part of the Irish Diaspora, who have frequently been neglected. The Department of Foreign Affairs, the network of Irish Embassies and Consulates across the world, and the many Irish centres and support groups operating abroad, have a key role to play in supporting Survivors and Affected Persons.
The Government of Ireland’s Global Ireland Ireland’s Diaspora Strategy 2020–2025 notes the need for Ireland to :
‘Recognise the need to heal the relationship with our emigrants who left Ireland in crisis as a result of discrimination or as victims of institutional abuse’