Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 April 2022
554. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the application forms for redress will be sent to survivors of Mother and Baby homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17937/22]
View answerI am acutely aware of the sense of urgency surrounding the establishment of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme and I am focused on delivering the Scheme as soon as possible. Last week, I secured Government approval for the draft Heads of Bill for the Payment Scheme and for the referral of these draft Heads of Bill to the Office of Parliamentary Council for drafting. I have sought priority drafting of the Bill to ensure that it can be introduced to the Houses of the Oireachtas as soon as possible. I have also referred the draft Heads of Bill to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for pre-legislative scrutiny, again requesting their assistance in meeting the urgent need to deliver this Scheme for survivors as soon as possible.
Once the legislation has been passed by the Oireachtas and the Executive Office to deliver the Scheme has been established, the Scheme will be open for applications. I hope that this will be possible by the end of 2022.
