Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

As I have outlined before, this legislation and the supports being provided are directly linked to those who availed of funding through Caranua. Caranua was previously directly linked to those who had availed of the initial redress scheme. There was a very clear and direct link to those who availed of those supports. The intention behind this Bill is not just to wind down Caranua. Caranua was set up with a very specific focus and with a set amount. This Bill puts the supports that were provided through Caranua on a more permanent footing, enabling people to access the medical card and making sure those educational supports are in place. While we have obviously had debate and discussion on the limit and the level of payment, this Bill will put these supports in place permanently once it is enacted. The criteria are very specific. Section 49, which the Senator has mentioned, is very much connected to the mother and baby homes. That is not something I can amend here and not something we are discussing in this legislation. That is not something I can do because it is connected to the mother and baby homes, which is a different scheme falling under the remit of a different Minister. I appreciate that, in our discussions today, last week and elsewhere, we have discussed many different survivors and instances. However, I must stay focused on the Bill itself, which is directly linked to Caranua, a body that was directly linked to those in receipt of the payments. It is for those reasons that I cannot accept the amendment. It is not that I do not accept the rationale behind the Senator's arguments but this is directly and legally linked to the Caranua payments and the redress scheme. To open that up again would not be in line with the legislation.