Updated: 30 November 2017
Terms of Reference
On the 31st May 2012, the First Minister and deputy First Minister announced the agreed Terms of Reference for the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry and advised the Assembly of the Chair of the Inquiry and the panel members for the Acknowledgement Forum.
On the 18th October 2012, the First Minister and deputy First Minister announced an amendment to the Terms of Reference for the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry. This amendment allowed for an extension to the relevant period of the inquiry from 1945-1995 to 1922-1995.
There was a further amendment to the Terms of Reference by way of The Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse (Amendement of Terms of Reference) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 which came into operation on 11 February 2015 granting the Inquiry an extra year to complete its work.
Legislation and Protocols
On 12th June 2012, the Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Bill and the associated Explanatory and Financial Memorandum were laid before the Assembly. The Bill passed through a number of stages and on the 11th December 2012 the ‘Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Bill’ was passed by the Assembly. Following Royal Assent the Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 became law on the 19th January 2013.
The Statutory Rules made under section 21 of the Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 were laid before the Assembly on the 24th June 2013 and take effect from the 25th July 2013.
Restriction Orders
| Order No. | Description |
| Redaction & Anonymity | |
| Disclosure or publication of Inquiry evidence | |
| Access to Closed Hearings | |
| Restriction Order No 4 | Protection of named individual |
| Audio and Video Recording hearings | |
| Warning Letters re. Draft Report | |
| Printing of Draft Report | |
| Core Particapant copies of Draft Report | |
| Deposit of Inquiry Record with the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) & future access |
Procedures and Guidelines
- Public Prosecution Service - Undertaking - Undertaking in respect of witnesses providing evidence to the Inquiry. April 2013 and review May 2016.
- Attorney General - Rt Hon Jeremy Wright QC MP - Undertaking in respect of witnesses providing evidence to the Inquiry. January 2015
- Application form (ALR1) (updated January 2015) - This is the form which the Inquiry uses for applications for a grant of legal representation at public expense.
- Template - Legal Costs Invoice -This revised form (November 2014) should be used by legal representatives submitting an invoice for costs awarded by the Inquiry.
- The Inquiry operates under a Memorandum of Understanding - 2016 between the OFMDFM and the HIA Inquiry.
- A media protocol provides guidance to the media
- A Complaints Procedure - available for those who are unhappy with the service provided by the Inquiry Team you can register a complaint
Chairman's Rulings
The Chairman's Ruling made on 4 November 2014 on applications for legal representation in respect of HIA 9, HIA 97 and HIA 15