The International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague has been asked to investigate the “violent legacy” of mother and baby homes, Magdalene Laundries, and industrial schools in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The ICC investigates and tries individuals charged with crimes of concern to the international community, such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The firm said both the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes in Ireland and the Inter-Departmental Working Group on Mother and Baby Homes, Magdalene Laundries and Historical Clerical Child Abuse in Northern Ireland fell short of what was required and did not implement the recommendations of several United Nations (UN) bodies. File picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ieAn international investigation, Mr Winters said, would see the past half century in both jurisdictions coming under the spotlight. It is understood that if accepted, a preliminary ICC scoping exercise could take months but that an investigation into decades of alleged abuses could take years.

Source: Irish Examiner May 18, 2021 05:30 UTC