Committee for the Executive Office - Primary Legislation

Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill

First and Second Stage

A bill to establish a Statutory Public Inquiry into Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries, and Workhouses was introduced to the Assembly on 16th June. The bill also requires the creation of a Redress Service, which will manage a formal financial compensation scheme for those affected.

The second stage of the bill process took place on 24th June, during which MLAs debated the principles of the bill.

 

Committee Stage

Next is the Committee stage, during which the Executive Office Committee will review the bill in detail.

This stage includes public consultation and gathering evidence from people with lived experience and others affected by the bill.

 

Call for Evidence

The Committee has launched its consultation inviting you the opportunity to have your say on the Bill's content.

Please find below a link to the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill survey. The survey is hosted on our Citizen Space website.

The closing date for responses is Monday 29 September 2025.

 

Familiarisation Sessions

The Committee held three Familiarisation Sessions to help stakeholders understand the legislative process of the bill, and in particular the Committee Stage.

If you would like to be sent a recording of one of these sessions, please email cteotrconsultation@niassembly.gov.uk.

 

Attend a Stakeholder Roundtable Event

The Committee will also be holding a number of stakeholder roundtable events to discuss the Inquiry into Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses and Redress Scheme Bill. This roundtable discussion provides an opportunity for MLAs on the Committee for the Executive Office to hear individual concerns regarding the impact of the Bill.

We deeply value the lived experiences and personal testimonies of those affected by Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries, and Workhouses. These accounts have been instrumental in shaping the development of the Bill. However, during the Committee Stage of the Bill, the focus shifts to a detailed examination of the Bill's provisions. This roundtable discussion provides an opportunity for MLAs on the Committee for the Executive Office to hear your concerns regarding the impact of Bill.

Please note that these sessions will be recorded by Hansard. An official transcript of the discussion will be produced and published as part of the formal record. This ensures transparency and allows the Committee to include your views as evidence during its consideration of the Bill at Committee Stage.

To facilitate attendance, the Committee will be holding two separate sessions on the same day on Wednesday 15 October, one in the morning in Dungannon and one in the afternoon in Omagh. Then a third session will take place in Belfast on Wednesday 22 October. Stakeholders are asked to attend only one session to ensure a broad range of views can be heard.

 

Wednesday 15 October - Morning Stakeholder Event Details

Venue: Hill of The O’Neill in Dungannon, 26 Market Square, Dungannon BT70 1AB

Date: Wednesday 15 October 2025

Time: 10.30am – 12.00pm

 

Wednesday 15 October - Afternoon Stakeholder Event Details

Venue: WAVE Trauma Centre Omagh, Holmlea House, 2 Retreat Close, Omagh, BT79 0HW

Date: Wednesday 15 October 2025

Time: 1.30pm – 3.00pm

 

Wednesday 22 October – Belfast Stakeholder Event Details

Venue: Europa Hotel Belfast, Great Victoria St, Belfast BT2 7AP

Date: Wednesday 22 October 2025

Time: 10.00am – 12.00pm

 

Please let us know if you would like to attend and your preferred session by emailing cteotrconsultation@niassembly.gov.uk  by Wednesday 8th October 2025 to register your attendance. If you have any dietary requirements please let us know.

 An online session will also be held later in October with details published in due course.

These sessions are an opportunity for expansion on the consultation, and the Committee would welcome a wide range of responses, which will hold the same weight as verbal evidence. We would strongly recommend for individuals to complete the consultation before the 29th September.

Whilst the focus of the event is not on policy proposals contained within the proposed legislation and more about the upcoming process, we are conscious of those who have been directly affected by the issues. Support for those affected is available through the Victims and Survivors Services (VSS). Information on how to access support is available here or phone 028 9031 1678 (Monday to Friday 9am-5pm).

 

Learn more from our Committee Chair

Watch our video below to hear the Chair of the Committee, Paula Bradshaw, discuss why the Committee is scrutinising the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill, what it is going to examine and what it hopes to achieve.

Paula also explains what to expect if you are invited to present evidence to the Committee in relation to the Bill. People who answer the Call for Evidence may be invited to brief the Committee in person, and provide further information on their experiences and views on the Bill.

Paula also encourages everyone with an opinion on the Bill to take part in the Call for Evidence (see above), which is now open for responses, and explains what the Committee will do with all the evidence and information that it receives.

If you prefer, you can read a written transcript of the video.

 

How to stay updated

Stay updated by:

  • bookmarking this webpage for the latest information.
  • following the Committee on X (formerly Twitter) for the latest information and ways to get involved.
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Subscribe to the latest news on the bill

Sign up to receive updates on the bill by completing the form below. To complete registration, please acknowledge that you have read and accepted the terms of our privacy notice and complete the process by clicking the confirmation link that will be sent to your inbox.

 

Contact us

If you have any questions, please get in touch using the contact details below:

Room 247, Parliament Buildings, 
Ballymiscaw, Stormont, 
Belfast, BT4 3XX 

Telephone: (028) 90521928

Email: cteotrconsultation@niassembly.gov.uk.

 

Further information