The Muckamore Abbey Hospital Public Inquiry is a statutory inquiry established under the Inquiries Act 2005, to examine the issue of abuse of patients at Muckamore Abbey Hospital (MAH) and to determine why the abuse happened and the range of circumstances that allowed it to happen. The purpose of the Inquiry is to ensure that such abuse does not occur again at MAH or any other institution in Northern Ireland which provides similar services.
The Inquiry was first announced on 8th September 2020 and for the purposes of section 5 of the Inquiries Act 2005, the Inquiry was formally set up on 11th October 2021. The Minister for Health for Northern Ireland, Robin Swann, set the Terms of Reference following consultation with the Chair.
The Chair of the Inquiry is Tom Kark KC and he was appointed on 10th June 2021.
The Inquiry is wholly independent of Government and any government department.