Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 February 2024
92. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 526 of 23 January 2024, when the mother and baby institutions redress scheme will be open for applications; the timeline for when payments will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9501/24]
View answer110. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the exact date of the opening of the mother and baby institutions payment ; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9498/24]
View answer128. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will ensure that older applicants for the mother and baby institutions payment scheme are prioritised when the scheme opens as planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9190/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 92, 110 and 128 together.
The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme will open for applications on 20 March.
A dedicated webpage is now live at www.gov.ie/paymentscheme, which contains information on how people will be able to apply to the Payment Scheme, and what information applicants will need.
Once the Scheme opens, the Payment Scheme Office will process all applications as quickly as possible, with the first payments expected to be made in Quarter 2 of this year.
I am conscious that many potential applicants to the Scheme are elderly. As promised, the Scheme will give priority to applications according to the age of the applicant, and so applications from older people will be prioritised.
The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme will be the largest scheme of its type in the history of the State with an anticipated 34,000 people eligible for its benefits. Given its scale and significance, the Scheme has been placed on a statutory footing and enabling legislation was signed into law last July.
A comprehensive body of work has been undertaken to develop the substantial administrative framework required to deliver a scheme of this size. This work includes:
• the preparation of the necessary regulations which must be in place prior to the Scheme opening;
• making arrangements for the staffing necessary to deliver the Scheme;
• Developing a comprehensive training programme for all staff involved in the Scheme;
• Developing postal and online application systems;
• Developing the case management IT infrastructure for the Scheme;
• Preparing for a substantive public awareness campaign to be delivered in Ireland and overseas. To this end, a recent stakeholder engagement process for the Payment Scheme has concluded with representatives reviewing some of the application and information materials for the Scheme.
Last May, the Government approved my proposal to appoint Ms Sheila Nunan to act on my behalf to lead negotiations with relevant religious bodies with a view to securing financial contribution towards the cost of the Payment Scheme. A full report will be provided to me once negotiations have concluded, but as the Deputy will appreciate I have committed to respecting that process while it is underway and thus I cannot speak in more detail. I have also just this week announced the appointment of Patricia Carey as independent Special Advocate for Survivors. Ms Carey will take up the role on 25 March.
The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme is one element of a comprehensive package of support measures agreed by the Government as part of the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions . Other important measures contained in the Action Plan response include access to birth information provided through the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022, the intervention at the site of the former Tuam Mother and Baby Institution, the appointment of a Special Advocate for Survivors, and the establishment of a National Centre for Research and Remembrance on the site of the former Magdalen Laundry on Sean McDermott Street.
