Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To date, 636 applications have been received and these are being processed as quickly as possible by the Department. A total of 270 provisional letters were issued to applicants that are at an advanced stage of processing requesting them to agree or disagree with the provisional assessment made by my officials on the length of time they were in a relevant institution. Some 145 applicants advised that they agree with the provisional decision and formal letters of offer will issue to these women shortly. The Attorney General's office is also finalising a waiver document which will be sent with the letter of formal offer. I have referred to that document previously.

The Deputy's timeline is somewhat skewed. My recollection is that Mr. Justice Quirke's report was published in June this year, not nine months ago. It recommended that as a precondition of receiving benefits under the scheme the women concerned should sign a waiver not to take proceedings against the State. Before signing the waiver the women will be encouraged to take independent legal advice and financial provision is made to facilitate them doing so. I expect some payments might be made before the end of the year.

Given the length of time involved in processing these requests and applications, will the Minister consider increasing the number of staff in his Department dealing with these matters? As the Minister is well aware, because it has been reiterated repeatedly in this Chamber, the survivors are elderly and in many cases they are in ill health. In fact, two of them are now deceased not having seen a cent. Let us hope we do not see any more victims going to their Maker without the satisfaction of redress from the State.

When there is a dispute between a woman and the institution in question over the length of her stay, will the Minister clarify how that matter is mediated upon and decided? The records in these institutions were incomplete, as recognised by the McAleese report and, more importantly, by the UN Committee Against Torture.

See this speech in context