Irish human rights lawyers sign symphysiotomy letter

The Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme website has asked applicants to get in touch to tell them whether their application and supporting documents should be returned or shredded.

In a letter sent to The Irish Times, 22 lawyers said the return of records to scheme applicants is “of paramount importance”.

It follows a letter signed by nearly 20 lawyers and academics last week.

The human rights lawyers said shredding records would “lead to the destruction of vital records and evidence that might be of assistance in future legal, historiographical and political processes of recording the symphysiotomy in Ireland and ensuring accountability for these instances of inhumane and harmful treatment”.

The letter, available in full here, calls on Ms Justice Harding Clarke to “ensure that all records are returned to the applicants to the scheme, by registered post, at the earliest possible date”.