About the Independent Panel
The Executive Office (‘TEO’) set up the Truth Recovery Programme to act on the recommendations made in the Truth, Acknowledgment and Accountability Report. The integrated truth investigation will look further into the workings of Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries, and Workhouses in Northern Ireland, and the associated pathways and practices. It will involve two separate phases that will work together: a non-statutory Independent Panel (with no legal powers) and a full statutory Public Inquiry (with legal powers).
In April 2023, the TEO appointed a 10-person Independent Panel. It includes practitioners who are experts in six important areas and victims-survivors representatives with personal experience of the institutions and the adoption system.
The Independent Panel is collecting evidence in a number of ways, including from sources that already exist, archives / records research, engaging with the public and collecting testimonies from victims and survivors, their relatives and people who worked or volunteered for the institutions. Everything the Panel has set out to do is included in their Terms of Reference. When this work is complete, the Independent Panel will publish a report on its findings and recommendations, including on areas for the Public Inquiry to look into further.
On 22 May 2024, the Independent Panel published its Interim Report.
Watch the Independent Panel's Videos on Giving Testimony
The Independent Panel recognises that sharing your experience can be a deeply personal and emotional process. They have created several videos to help support you if you are considering giving testimony.
These videos explain how the Independent Panel ensures that every lived experience shared is treated with care, dignity, and respect.
Two of the Independent Panel's Testimony Facilitators, Megan Kelly and Livi Dee, walk you through every part of the testimony process in their video. You can watch their video here.
Adele Johnstone (a Birth Mother and child, now adult, adoptee), has recorded a message for anyone considering giving testimony.
It is of vital importance that our children tell what happened to them in their life’s journey, it is also of vital importance that birth mothers come forward and tell the reality of what really happened to them.
You can watch Adele's full message here.
Two of the Independent Panel Victim-Survivor Representatives, Maria Cogley and Paul McClarey have record messages to anyone considering giving testimony.
This is the chance to have what happened to us be on record.
You can watch Maria's full message here.
Help us lift the lid on a period of history that needs to be told.
You can watch Paul's full message here.
Final Date To Provide Testimony
To allow sufficient time for the Independent Panel to analyse testimonies and write the Final Report, the last date to register to provide testimony is Thursday 1 May 2025.
Support is available to you before, during and after your participation in the testimony process. Click here for further information on support services
Do You Have Documents Related To Mother And Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries, And Workhouses (And Their Associated Pathways And Practices) In Northern Ireland?
The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) is seeking privately held documents that can help shine a light on the institutions and their practices from 1922 - 1995. If you have any documents that you think could be useful, please contact the PRONI Team at access@communities-ni.gov.uk

Image shows members of the Truth Recovery Independent Panel.