THE failure of MLAs to attend a Stormont committee meeting on the survivors of institutional child abuse has been slammed as "beyond disgraceful".
A meeting of the Executive Office Committee at which members were to be briefed by the Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse, Fiona Ryan, had to be halted yesterday as only three MLAs remained present.
Committee chair Sinéad McLaughlin described the lack of quorum as "deeply disappointing". The SDLP MLA added: "Even more disheartening was this happened when we were receiving a briefing in relation to survivors of institutional childhood abuse.
"I am embarrassed by what took place today – it should never have happened. What kind of message does this send out to survivors, who have been often left feeling let down and abandoned during their quest for truth and justice?"
Margaret McGuckin, head of the Survivors & Victims of Institutional Abuse group, said of the missing MLAs: "Are we really so far down your list of priorities that you can’t even be bothered to hear from our commissioner on the issues impacting us?
She added: "It's beyond disgraceful that our commissioner comes to brief the committee and there is no quorum to deal with."
