Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 May 2024
177. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the reason all survivors of industrial and reformatory schools and certain residential institutions will not be eligible for supports under the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21038/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra178. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the reason persons to whom the Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Act 2015 applies and persons who received a payment under the mother and baby institutions payment scheme are to be excluded from the Supports of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21039/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 178 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 established the Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB) to make financial awards to people who, as children, were resident in specified institutions and who had injuries consistent with abuse suffered while resident in those institutions.
The Redress Scheme remained open to applications for almost nine years, when the Residential Institutions Redress (Amendment) Act 2011 introduced a final deadline of 17 September 2011, after which the scheme was closed. Over that period, the RIRB received over 16,000 applications and made awards to approximately 15,500 applicants, based on detailed individualised assessments of the impact of abuse in each case. Therefore, it is not now possible to extend eligibility on that basis beyond this cohort.
The Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024 provides for the delivery of a package of ongoing supports to “former residents”, i.e. survivors who received an award of redress from the RIRB based on individual assessments, or a similar court award or settlement. This is consistent with the approach taken previously in the application of supports by both the Education Finance Board and Caranua.
With regard to the exemption of persons to whom the Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Act 2015 applies and persons who receive a payment under the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme, this applies only in respect of section 5 of the Bill, which provides for the making of a health support payment to survivors who are ordinarily resident outside the State. This provision ensures an equitable approach is taken to the making of these payments and is consistent with the related provisions of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act 2023.
All former residents are eligible for the other health and education supports provided for under the Bill, as well as the advocacy supports which are being provided to survivors by Sage Advocacy, irrespective of whether they have also benefitted from the Magdalen Laundry and Mother and Baby Institutions schemes.
