Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this really important issue. The Government has brought forward the mother and baby institutions payment scheme, and rightly so. Applications opened in March. As of 16 September, 5,100 applications had come into the scheme, of which 4,400 were fully completed and have proceeded into the processing system. Approximately 2,700 notices of determination have been issued to applicants, of which more than 82% contain an offer of benefits under the scheme. Applicants have six months to consider the offer before they need to respond. Almost 1,400 payments are either processed and completed or are in the process of being made.

If the Deputy has specific instances, because I know how important that is to someone of advanced age, I ask her to please get the details to us. The Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, was here earlier for Leaders' Questions. It is important we work together on this scheme to make sure it works for people.

See this speech in context