Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Nearly a year has passed since the Government agreed the redress scheme for mother and baby home survivors, many of whom are elderly and getting on in life. I seek a reassurance from the Taoiseach that the legislation to progress this scheme will be published and that the scheme will be opened as a matter of urgency. As we know, many of the unfortunate survivors of these homes are at the gates of the Dáil again today, as they have been many times in the past.

I also want to briefly raise with the Taoiseach the matter of the decision by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, to renege on his promise of an independent review of the mother and baby home confidential committee testimony. I am not sure whether the Taoiseach was aware of the decision to renege on this commitment to survivors. If so, can he explain why the Minister did not engage directly with the survivors earlier this year on his decision? After a lot of missteps by this Government and those before it in dealing with institutional abuse, it is simply unacceptable for it to be left to journalists to uncover the Minister’s decisions. I understand that it may be hard for the Taoiseach to hear this but survivors have lost trust in the Government on this issue and that is the reality. The Minister, with the support of the Taoiseach, needs to re-engage with survivors as a matter of urgency and ensure the redress scheme is put in place.

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