Public Inquiry Recommendations
Showing 12 of 1,708 recommendations from HIA Inquiry
What these recommendations are about — HIA Inquiry
Key themes in this inquiry:
Taxpayer value from government contracts ·
Poor health and social care integration ·
International displacement strategy ·
No open learning culture ·
Legal aid access for digitally excluded
.
Report published 2017 — 12 recommendations across this inquiry.
HIA-1
Accepted
HIA Inquiry
(2017)
Public Apology
We recommend that the Northern Ireland Executive and those who were responsible for each of the institutions investigated by the Inquiry where we found systemic failings should make a public …
- On 11 March 2022, in the Assembly Chamber of Parliament Buildings, five Northern Ireland Executive Ministers delivered a public apology to victims and survivors …
HIA-2
Accepted
HIA Inquiry
(2017)
Memorial at Stormont
We recommend that a suitable physical memorial should be erected in Parliament Buildings, or in the grounds of the Stormont Estate.
- On 20 February 2026, a memorial to victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse was unveiled in Parliament Buildings (Northern Ireland Assembly, February 2026). …
HIA-3
Accepted
HIA Inquiry
(2017)
Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse (COSICA)
We therefore recommend that a designated person should act as an advocate for such children, and should be responsible for ensuring the co-ordination and availability of services, and identifying suitable …
- On 6 October 2020, Fiona Ryan was appointed as Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse (COSICA) for a five-year term (COSICA Appointment, October …
HIA-4
Accepted
HIA Inquiry
(2017)
Compensation as Lump Sum Payment
We therefore recommend that compensation should take the form of a lump sum payment.
- The Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019 established that compensation payments for survivors would take the form of lump sums, as recommended by …
HIA-5
Accepted
Urgent
HIA Inquiry
(2017)
Publicly Funded Compensation Scheme
We recommend that the Northern Ireland Executive create a publicly funded compensation scheme.
- The Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019 established a publicly funded compensation scheme, receiving Royal Assent on 5 November 2019 (Historical Institutional Abuse …
HIA-6
Accepted
HIA Inquiry
(2017)
HIA Redress Board
We consider the appropriate method of administering the compensation scheme is to create a specific Historic Institutional Abuse Redress Board for that purpose, and we so recommend. The HIA Redress …
- The Historical Institutional Abuse Redress Board was established and opened on 31 March 2020 to administer the compensation scheme (HIA Redress Board, March 2020). …
HIA-7
Accepted
HIA Inquiry
(2017)
Compensation Amounts and Caps
We recommend that the amount of compensation should therefore consist of one or more of the following elements. (i) A standard payment of £7,500 payable to anyone who was abused, …
- The Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019 established the compensation structure, including a standard payment of £7,500, additional payments of £20,000 for those …
HIA-8
Accepted
HIA Inquiry
(2017)
Specialist Care and Assistance Facilities
Sufficient funds should be made available by government on a ring-fenced basis for a fixed period of ten years, subject to a review after five years, to establish dedicated specialist …
- The Victims and Survivors Service launched dedicated support services on 1 December 2020, offering caseworker support, counselling, complementary therapies, and group support in Belfast …
HIA-9
Accepted
HIA Inquiry
(2017)
Social Security Payments Unaffected
We also recommend that social security payments should not be affected by lump sum payments awarded by the HIA Redress Board.
- The Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019 included provisions to ensure that lump sum compensation payments would not affect social security benefits (Historical …
HIA-10
Accepted
HIA Inquiry
(2017)
Compensation Payments Tax-Free
We recommend that payments of compensation should not be taxable, and that the Northern Ireland Executive make representations to the Treasury and to HMRC to achieve this.
- The Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019 provided that compensation payments are exempt from taxation (Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019). - …
HIA-11
Accepted
HIA Inquiry
(2017)
Legal Aid for Applicants
We recommend that applicants should be eligible for legal aid to allow them to obtain legal assistance to make an application for an award.
- Legal aid eligibility for applicants seeking compensation was established by the Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019 (Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act …
HIA-12
Accepted
HIA Inquiry
(2017)
Financial Contributions from Institutions
We recommend that any voluntary institution found by the Inquiry to have been guilty of systemic failings should be asked to make an appropriate financial contribution to the overall cost …
- Three of the six voluntary institutions identified by the Inquiry as having systemic failings have made financial contributions to the overall cost of the …