The head of a Dublin-based domestic abuse charity is to become the first Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse (COSICA).
Fiona Ryan was officially announced as commissioner in the assembly yesterday following a lengthy appointment process.
A former journalist and communications consultant, Cork-born Ms Ryan is chief executive of the Sonas domestic violence charity in Dublin and was previously head of Alcohol Action Ireland.
She takes up her new five-year role as commissioner on December 14.
The role means she has a statutory duty to work for the interests of anyone who suffered abuse as a child while they were a resident at an institution between 1922 and 1995.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said the appointment was a key moment for abuse survivors.
"We cannot change the past, nor right its wrongs, but we can shape the future," she said.
"In welcoming Fiona Ryan as Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse we are taking another significant step forward for victims."
First Minister Arlene Foster said: “This is a significant appointment, and I wish Fiona well in what will be an important and sensitive role".
Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse (Savia) said she was pleased by the appointment.
"Fiona is very experienced and will have empathy and understanding for victims," she said.
"We're looking forward to meeting her. It's just unfortunate that she won't be in post until mid-December.
"There needs to be more understanding around abuse and how it's affected our lives and families. There's a lot more fall-out from abuse than people think."
Ms Ryan's appointment comes almost a year after long-awaited legislation to set up a redress board for victims of historical institutional abuse was passed at Westminster.
In 2017, the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) inquiry exposed serious sexual, physical and emotional abuse over decades at children's homes run by religious orders, charities and the state.
It made a series of recommendations including compensation payments, an apology, a public memorial, care packages for victims and survivors and a statutory commissioner for survivors of institutional childhood abuse.
Brendan McAllister was appointed as an interim victims' commissioner in the summer of 2019.
However, he faced calls to resign after the identities of several hundred victims were circulated in an email sent by his office in May.
Mr McAllister said he looked "forward to working with Ms Ryan in the weeks ahead in preparation for the opening of the Commissioner’s office in the near future".
Ms Ryan's appointment was also welcomed by politicians including Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw and SDLP MLA Colin McGrath.
“My first thoughts today are with the victims of institutional abuse who are not with us to see this appointment and to see the beginning of a process which will give them the recognition they needed and deserved," Ms Bradshaw said.
Mr McGrath said the Covid pandemic had delayed the commissioner's appointment, causing more distress to victims.
“We now need to see swift implementation of the Hart recommendations, ensuring that the redress process is completed quickly and fairly, delivering an appropriate apology to victims and the memorial commitment," he said.
Meanwhile, Ms O'Neill told the assembly that 579 people have applied to the redress scheme since it opened in March.
Around £2.5 million has been paid out to survivors so far.
