In June 2023, Government approved the delivery of a package of ongoing supports to survivors of abuse in residential institutions. This includes the provision of a range of health supports and services, commonly referred to as an “enhanced medical card”, which has previously been provided to survivors of the Magdalen Laundries and which is being provided to former residents of Mother and Baby and County Home institutions.
The delivery of those supports requires a legislative basis, and this is set out in the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024, which recently completed Second Stage in the Dáil. Committee Stage is due to take place in June and it is intended to progress the passage of the legislation as quickly as possible to enable the delivery of these supports to survivors.