Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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41. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if all social welfare offices have received a directive that the payments to Magdalen laundry survivors, made under the restorative justice scheme, are not to be considered income under any means test. [8492/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Details of the Social Welfare Regulations Statutory Instruments 155, 156 and 157 of 2014 were circulated to all staff of the Department of Social Protection in April 2014 through a number of information channels. These Regulations extend the list of compensation payments that are to be disregarded for the purposes of the means test applying to social assistance payments and also the supplementary welfare and rent allowance schemes and include those women who fall within the terms of the Magdalen Commission Report.

I am very anxious to assist these women as much as possible. Accordingly, if the Deputy is aware of any particular case with issues in this regard it would be helpful if she could supply the details and my officials will investigate the matter further.