Historical Institutional Abuse: What was the Hart Inquiry and what did it find?

The apology was recommended by a public inquiry into the abuse in 2017.

But what was the Hart Inquiry and what did it find?

The inquiry studied allegations of abuse in a total of 22 children’s homes and residential institutions in Northern Ireland during the period 1922 to 1995.

Led by Sir Anthony Hart, who passed away in 2019, it was at the time the largest-scale investigation into the mistreatment of children in the UK.

It was ordered in 2011 following campaigning by abuse survivors, and sat for several years before publishing its findings in 2017.

In a lengthy report spanning hundreds of pages, the Hart report set out in detail how children had been abused — physically, mentally and sexually — across institutions run by Churches, the state, local authorities and the charity Barnardo’s.

Almost 500 applicants engaged with the inquiry in Belfast, as well as the Republic of Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales and Australia.

The retired judge, Sir Anthony Hart, ultimately found that abuse was “widespread”.

He recommended an apology, compensation, a permanent memorial, a commissioner to act on behalf of victims and survivors, and targeted care for those affected.