Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 April 2024
1093. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the name of the company that has been given responsibility for administering the mother and baby institutions payment scheme; the total cost to administer the scheme; the details of the tender process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14044/24]
View answer1100. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to clarify how much of the estimated €800 million earmarked for the mother and baby institutions payment scheme will be allocated to an organisation (details supplied) for the administration of the scheme; to clarify the estimated total amount that will be allocated under the scheme to former residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14129/24]
View answer1101. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an organisation (details supplied) was the sole bidder in the procurement process for the administration of the mother and baby institutions payment scheme; and if not, to clarify the total number of bidders. [14130/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1093, 1100 and 1101 together.
The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme opened on 20 March.
In terms of staffing for Scheme delivery, a blended operating model was developed. This provides for the Chief Deciding Officer to be supported by a core Executive Office based in my Department and also by experienced third party support, appointed following a procurement process. This blended approach facilitates efficiencies in application processing and payments, with of the order of 90 staff involved in the Scheme at the outset, scalable as necessary depending on applicant numbers at any given time.
All staff in the Executive Office, as well as on the third party support team, operate under the direction and supervision of the Chief Deciding Officer and a comprehensive training programme for all staff involved in Scheme administration has been delivered.
To procure the third party support, a tender competition titled Mini-Competition for the provision of Contact Management and Related Administrative Services for the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme was advertised to the members of the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) Framework for Managed Business Process Support Services, Lot 1: Contact Management and Related Administrative Services. OGP provided support throughout the process and there were four bidders. The published estimated contract value for this competition is in the order of €10-13 million over 8 years (equating to a six year contract term plus the possibility for two 12 month extensions). ‘Relate Care’ was the successful bidder.
Of the total amount of €800m that Government has allocated for the Payment Scheme, the estimated total amount that will be allocated under the scheme in awards to former residents is €773.05m. This figure includes €23.05m intended to meet the costs associated with financial support towards independent legal advice for former residents. The balance is allocated to provide for Scheme administration costs and outreach supports, including the administrative costs associated with the provision of enhanced medical cards to survivors and former residents under the scheme, and the national and international communications campaign dedicated to informing survivors about the Scheme and how to apply.
