Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 April 2024
1103. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many staff members have been allocated to administer the mother and baby institutions payment scheme. [14150/24]
View answerThe 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 operating independently but based in my Department and also by experienced third party support, appointed after 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 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.
