Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

430. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when the Magdalene women will receive funding in relation to the documentation each of them has provided and his Department has received since June; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of the women who are elderly are seeing their health decline in the meantime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39431/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On the 25th June 2013 the Government approved the immediate implementation of cash lump sum payments scheme based on duration of stay in laundries recommended by Judge Quirke and tasked an Interdepartmental Group with giving further detailed consideration to the steps necessary to implement the other recommendations, some of which are complicated and may require legislation. I have already established a special unit to process applications and to determine whether an applicant resided and worked in an institution covered by the scheme, the duration of their stay and the calculation of the capital sum due to be paid to them. Over 540 applications have been received to date and are being processed.

Payments cannot commence until decisions have been made on the other recommendations. I expect to receive the report of the Interdepartmental Group within the next week and I will then bring the matter back before the Government for final decision. I would expect that the first offers of payments of a lump sum to issue within 4-6 weeks of the Government decision.