Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their questions. On the mother and baby homes institutions and the payment scheme in that regard, the establishment of the mother and baby institutional payments scheme is an important commitment in the Government's response to the final report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters. The scheme we have proposed goes beyond what was recommended both by the commission and the expert group. The payment schemes Bill was published on 17 October 2022, was passed by the Dáil in February, and is currently before the Seanad. We are very keen to get that legislation done as soon as possible in order to have the scheme up and running and to make sure that those entitled to payments receive them. Work is under way on the establishment of an executive office in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to progress the scheme. An implementation steering group has also been established to oversee all aspects of the programme plan.

We have not agreed the terms of reference for a Covid inquiry yet. It is designed to be about the State's response to Covid as regards public health actions taken, the economic response and other responses, to see what was done right and wrong, what could have been done better, and to learn for future pandemics. I do not know whether it would be appropriate to examine long Covid as part of that. It is a condition that is diagnosed as a post-viral syndrome but whether a commission of inquiry is the right way to look at that-----

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