The chair of the Mother and Baby Home Commission raised concerns with a government department about how little time they were given to offer views on controversial draft legislation about their archives.
Judge Yvonne Murphy said she was “greatly concerned” about a new addition to the law which required the commission to deposit evidence and documents with the Minister without redaction.
She told the Department of Children that the latest draft of the bill had been sent to the commission’s office after 5pm on Monday, 5 October.
However, it was due to be brought before Cabinet the following morning “leaving no opportunity for the Commission to make its views known”.
The full report of the Mother and Baby Home Commission is expected to be published in the coming weeks.