Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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513. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if in view of the issues raised in the Prime Time Investigates programme on the Bethany Home on 13 May 2013 and on-going calls for justice for survivors of the Bethany Home, he will put in place a redress scheme for survivors. [23686/13]

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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515. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if, in view of the issues raised in the Prime Time Investigates programme on the Bethany Home and ongoing calls for justice for survivors of the Bethany Home, his plans to put in place a redress scheme for survivors. [24220/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 513 and 515 together.

I met with members of the Bethany Survivors Group together with Minister for State Katheen Lynch on Tuesday 16 April. The group raised the question of their inclusion within the Residential Institutions Redress scheme or a similar type scheme designed for children who had been in the Bethany Home. They also raised the question of access to personal records, a memorial and an apology.

I told the group that I was there to listen and that I did not wish to raise any unrealistic expectations. Many of the issues raised fall outside the remit of my Department. However, in consultation with my cabinet colleagues I informed the group that I would consider the matter and revert back to them. I assured them that any decision would not be influenced by the fact that Bethany home was a Protestant rather than a Catholic oriented home.