Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
1271. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if proposals have been brought to Cabinet regarding the redress scheme for survivors of mother and baby homes; when this process for payment will commence; the process for these payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43887/22]
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.
I secured Government approval for proposals relating to the establishment of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme in November 2021 and, subsequently, I secured Government approval for a General Scheme of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill in March 2022. I then referred the General Scheme to the Office of Parliamentary Council for priority drafting and to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for pre-legislative scrutiny.
I received the Committee's report in July and I am very grateful to the members for giving the draft legislation their careful attention. Officials from my Department appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee as part of the scrutiny process and are also examining the recommendations included in the Report as part of the drafting process of the Bill.
It is my intention to bring the Bill to Government seeking publication and introduction to the Houses of the Oireachtas early in the autumn term. Once the legislation has been passed by the Oireachtas and the administrative structures are in place to deliver the Scheme, the Scheme will open for applications.
