Govt. in a spin or just spinning? @IrishTimes journalist makes basic errors in fact & editorialises on behalf of Govt. He has not read Commission of Investigations 2004 Act & wrongly asserts there is a '30 year rule' whereby archive must be sealed. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/q-a-mother-and-baby-homes-commission-database-1.4389750#.X5Vk_zupPXw.twitter

In fact Govt. stated policy of sealing the archive is not based in law -if we wanted to be kind we could call it a 'grave administrative error '- the Data Protection Commissioner has told Govt. their practice is unlawful (information kept from legislators as the Bill was rushed)

It was a shame -- and I have thought carefully about that word -- but Govt. is shamed in the public view by not accepting amendments that would have become the basis for the proper release of records. #UnsealTheArchive #Stand4Truth

Questions left unasked by this article include: On what basis did the Commission declare it would destroy databases it created? The 2004 Act expressly states they must hand over everything entire to the Minister. #UnsealTheArchive #Stand4Truth

This article will make a good example for my class on epistemology (how knowledge is created). The omissions, errors, unsupported assertions & framing of the narrative can allow for examination of the ways in which the powerful take control of what can be known #UnsealTheArchive

thanks for reading this thread. To quote the closing line of this @IrishTimes article:
"It is intended to be an exercise in openness, and not the opposite." #UnsealTheArchive #Stand4Truth