Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns has said the Mother and Baby Home Commission must answer questions around how it deleted records.
The organisation is meant to be wound up at the end of the month, following the recent publication of its final report.
However, campaigners have called for this deadline to be extended after it emerged the commission deleted audio of survivors’ testimony.
It happened without detailed transcripts being made.
The commission has said those testifying were told audio recordings would be deleted, but this is disputed by many survivors.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar this week said the Government is now examining whether to extend the term of the commission, and said he was ‘quite surprised’ to hear of the deletion of the recordings.
Deputy Cairns today said survivors deserve answers.
She said: “The massive public disquiet in October in relation to the so-called sealing of records was for the most part due to concerns survivors wouldn’t be able to access their own testimonies.
“Now we found out the commission has already deleted these archives. It’s absolutely scandalous.”
She said there are so many 'unanswered questions' that the commission shouldn't be dissolved on February 28th.
Dr Maeve O’Rourke, a human rights lawyer who has worked with survivors groups, says the commission must stay active.
She observed: “There is actually no record of the full testimony that 550 people gave.
“The key point is that there was no stenographer, and the commission did not transcribe the audio fully before they deleted it.”
