Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The mother and baby institutions payment scheme opened for applications in March this year. As of 21 October, almost 5,300 applications have been received. Nearly 3,900 notices of determination have issued to applicants, more than 82% of which contain an offer of benefits under the scheme. Applicants have six months to consider their offer before they need to respond.

While my Department's budget in 2024 was based on higher upfront applicant numbers, this scheme is open for five years so there is plenty of time for potential applicants to assess the scheme and to subsequently apply. It is difficult to predict at what stage across its five-year lifespan applicants will apply, although we know that in some previous redress schemes, significant numbers of applications were made towards the closing date. I have authorised the next phase of the public information campaign for the scheme to launch at the end of this month, October. It is hoped that this will encourage those eligible to apply sooner rather than later.

The underpinning legislation provides for a number of reports and reviews to be produced. Section 48 of the legislation provides for two reviews into the operation of the scheme to be completed. The first is to be completed within six months of the scheme's second anniversary. I think I might have said after one year to the Deputy yesterday, but it is within six months of the second anniversary. I apologise for saying that yesterday. The legislation sets out the issues to be considered within that review, but it also allows the Minister to add other points to be considered within that review as well.

The institutional payment scheme is one part of the Department's response to the report of the commission of investigation into mother and baby homes. It is one of the seven key components, but all the others are being advanced at the national records centre, which we discussed yesterday. Birth information and tracing legislation has been provided. A total of 11,000 people have access to birth and early life information. Of course there is also the work on the site in Tuam, for which the agency has been established.

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