Chambers Welcomes Impact of Landmark Bill Preserving Mother and Baby Home Archives

Alan Chambers MLA, the architect of Northern Ireland’s ground-breaking Preservation of Documents Bill, has welcomed the significant impact the legislation is having on the protection of crucial historical archives.

Mr. Chambers said:

“In 2022, I was honoured to introduce and guide my Preservation of Documents (Historical Institutions) Bill into law. It was the final piece of legislation passed during the 2017–2022 mandate, receiving approval in the closing moments of the Assembly term.

The legislation, which I brought forward as a Private Member’s Bill, closed a worrying legal loophole. In essence, it created a legal duty to preserve all records from Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries, Workhouses, and similar historical bodies. This ensures these archives can never be destroyed or altered and must be kept securely within Northern Ireland for future investigations and the public record.

This legal duty was essential for safeguarding these critical historical archives. The recent progress made with the digitisation of records now ensures both the protection of the originals and enhanced accessibility for survivors.

The legislative duty to preserve these vital historical records stands in harmony with the promise of modern digitisation. My Bill was always about more than preserving paper; it was about protecting the truth. Digitisation now gives us the opportunity to ensure these records are both safeguarded and accessible, honouring survivors while supporting future generations in understanding our shared history.”