Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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580. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost to date of the Commission of Inquiry into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters; and the cost of the collaborative forum and the homes institutions represented at same. [13861/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters was established by Government on 17th February 2015 (S.I. No. 57 of 2015). In establishing the Commission, the Government noted that the investigation and associated additional demands on the Department of Children and Youth Affairs were estimated to cost €21.5m, exclusive of third party legal costs.

Since its establishment, expenditure of approximately €10.87m has been incurred (to mid June 2020) to support salaries, fees and other operational costs relating to the work of the independent Commission and its engagement with former residents and other witnesses.

*16 June 2020

In addition, the Department has also directly incurred costs of approximately €2.42 million for the same period in supporting this work and responding to the Commission's interim reports. This includes the costs associated with the separate Collaborative Forum process to facilitate former residents of these institutions to engage on the issues of concern to them and their families. Costs for this process include an extensive public information campaign to support the call for expressions of interest from former residents, operational costs such as meeting facilities and participant travel, and external facilitation and related supports.