Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2024
1153. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there is any provision to include survivors of mother and baby homes who contributed towards the Investigation Committee of the final Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation and who passed away before the Taoiseach's apology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12427/24]
View answerThe Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme will open for applications on 20 March and a dedicated webpage is now live at www.gov.ie/paymentscheme which contains information on how people will be able to apply for benefits under the Scheme.
Section 37 of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act 2023 provides that the personal representative of a deceased relevant person, who died on or after 13 January 2021, can apply to the Scheme. This was the date of the then Taoiseach's apology to survivors of these institutions on behalf of the State, ultimately launching a comprehensive package of support measures (of which the Payment Scheme is just one) agreed by the Government as part of the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions.
This Action Plan contains 22 commitments to survivors, intended to address the expressed priorities of those who spent time in Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions, as well as respond to the findings and recommendations of the Commission of Investigation. Of these 22 commitments, 9 are completed and a further 11 are in progress. The two remaining actions are medium/longer term goals. Work is ongoing across all thematic areas to ensure that survivors see tangible results as soon as possible.
As well as the Payment Scheme, other important measures contained in the Action Plan 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, my appointment last month 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. Importantly, the package of supports available under the Action Plan also includes counselling services which are available to all survivors and former residents.
