Written Ministerial Statement

The content of this written ministerial statement is as received at the time from the Minister. It has not been subject to the official reporting (Hansard) process.

First Minister and Deputy First Minister Thank Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse for Her Service

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Published at 5PM on Friday 10 July 2026

Mrs O’Neill (The First Minister) and Mrs Little-Pengelly (The deputy First Minister): We wish to sincerely thank Fiona Ryan for her dedication and service following her decision to step down as Commissioner for survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse (COSICA) to take on a new role.

Victims and survivors of Historical Institutional Abuse have shown immense courage in sharing their experiences and pursuing truth, acknowledgement and justice. Throughout her tenure, the Commissioner has played an important role in championing their interests, amplifying their voices and highlighting the issues that matter most to them.  Fiona has worked tirelessly to ensure their voices are heard and their experiences remain at the heart of decisions about the support and recognition they deserve, particularly during the development of the Redress scheme for Victims and Survivors and the recent unveiling of the HIA Memorial at Parliament Buildings.

We are grateful to Fiona for her service, commitment and advocacy, and we wish her every success in her new role and the next stage in her career.

The Executive remains fully committed to victims and survivors and our priority remains ensuring that they continue to receive the support they need. VSS services will continue to provide assistance without interruption, and we will continue working with the COSICA office to ensure they receive the support they need while future arrangements are considered.