Northern Ireland

Arlene Foster: Abuse victims data breach 'highly regrettable'

First Minister Arlene Foster
First Minister Arlene Foster First Minister Arlene Foster

A major data breach which revealed the identities of more than 250 institutional abuse victims was "highly regrettable", First Minister Arlene Foster has said.

The largest victims' group, Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse (Savia), has called on interim abuse victims' advocate Brendan McAllister to stand down after the survivors' identities were circulated in an email sent by his office on Friday.

Some of those identified included victims and survivors who are suffering from serious psychiatric issues and others whose families do not know they were abused.

READ MORE: Abuse victims' group says it's 'too late' for apologies over major data breachOpens in new window ]

TUV leader Jim Allister raised the breach in an urgent question at the assembly this afternoon.

"Victims of historic abuse need their privacy more than most and therefore when they discover that their privacy was so spectacularly breached... it creates trauma which many of them are finding very difficult," he said.

Mrs Foster said the thoughts of the Executive Office are "very much with those who have been affected by this highly regrettable incident".

The Executive Office sponsors the interim advocate's office, although the office works independently.

Interim victims' advocate Brendan McAllister. Picture by Hugh Russell
Interim victims' advocate Brendan McAllister. Picture by Hugh Russell Interim victims' advocate Brendan McAllister. Picture by Hugh Russell

The information commissioner is investigating the breach.

She said victims affected can access support through the WAVE trauma centre and added that several people had done so.

The Executive Office has also asked the head of internal audit in the Department of Finance to investigate the breach.

Mrs Foster said a process has begun to appoint a permanent commissioner, as recommended by the landmark Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) inquiry report, published more than three years ago.

She acknowledged that Mr McAllister had lost the confidence of some victims.

"We do want to say to all of the victims - and I recognise some don't have confidence in the interim advocate, though some do - but in terms of the full time commissioner appointment, a selection panel has been appointed," she said.

Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw also asked why victims had not yet received a formal apology, as recommended in the HIA report.

Mrs Foster said the interim advocate the Executive Office had been considering apologies made to abuse victims in the Republic, Canada and Australia.

She said officials are looking "to find the appropriate language" that will be supported by victims.