Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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341. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to refer Magdalen survivors living at a location (details supplied) to the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities; the degree of engagement his Department has had with the service and the nursing home in question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10881/20]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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385. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if Magdalen survivors living in a nursing home (details supplied) can be referred to the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities. [11313/20]

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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389. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will act urgently regarding Magdalen survivors who are still institutionalised particularly those in a nursing home (details supplied) which is due to close; if survivors in the care of religious congregations will be referred to the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities as requested by a group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11395/20]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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400. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will refer those Magdalen survivors currently residing in a nursing home (details supplied) to the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities as a matter of urgency due to the imminent closure of the home and the need and right of the women affected to have access to independent advice and advocacy to ensure their wishes are taken into account with regard to a move to an alternative setting. [11595/20]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 341, 385, 389 and 400 together.

My Department has responsibility for the Magdalen Restorative Justice Implementation Unit, which was established to administer the Magdalen Ex-Gratia Scheme. This involves the processing of applications to the Scheme, the payment of the ex-gratia awards to eligible applicants and the transmission of relevant details to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection for the calculation of pension entitlements and to the HSE for the issue of the Medical Card. The Unit also makes every effort to assist applicants who make contact seeking referrals to other State services.

While the Unit maintains a database of all applicants to the scheme, applicants do not typically maintain contact with the Unit once their applications have been processed, nor are they obliged to do so. For that reason, my Department does not hold current contact details of places of residence for all applicants. Having reviewed the records of the Unit, I can confirm that there were a number of applicants who were resident in St. Margaret’s nursing home, Donnybrook and all were linked to the National Advocacy Service. The nursing home which received recent publicity was St Mary’s, Merrion Road, Dublin and there are no applicants recorded as being resident at this nursing home.

I would note that my Department has no responsibility for the National Advocacy Service, which is funded by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. I similarly have no role in relation to the management or oversight of nursing homes. However, I have asked my officials to contact the National Advocacy Service over the coming days to determine whether my Department can provide any assistance in relation to this matter.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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342. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons referred to the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities by his Department who were and are in the care of a religious order in the past 20 years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10882/20]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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My Department has responsibility for the Magdalen Restorative Justice Implementation Unit, which was established to administer the Magdalen Ex-Gratia Scheme. This involves the processing of applications to the Scheme, the payment of the ex-gratia awards to eligible applicants and the transmission of relevant details to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection for the calculation of pension entitlements and to the HSE for the issue of the Medical Card. The Unit also makes every effort to assist applicants who make contact seeking referrals to other State services.

While the Unit maintains a database of all applicants to the scheme, applicants do not typically maintain contact with the Unit once their applications have been processed, nor are they obliged to do so.  For that reason, my Department does not hold current contact details of places of residence for all applicants or indeed where people were resident over the last 20 years.  My Department has not referred any women to the National Advocacy Service (NAS). I am aware that some women when making their applications to the scheme have availed of the services provided by the NAS to assist with their applications.

I would note that my Department has no responsibility for the National Advocacy Service, which is funded by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.  I similarly have no role in relation to the management or oversight of nursing homes. However, I have asked my officials to contact the National Advocacy Service over the coming days to determine whether my Department can provide any assistance in relation to this matter.