Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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On 16 November 2021, my Department published an Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions.The Action Plan is a high-level framework to drive, monitor and report on implementation of the 22 wide-ranging measures announced by Government in responding to the needs and concerns of those who spent time in these institutions.

Each action identifies key strategic milestones and related timelines. Of the 22 actions, 6 have already been completed while another 13 are currently in progress. Work is ongoing in all thematic areas to advance measures in accordance with the published Action Plan. My Department and other state authorities are working to ensure survivors see tangible results as early as possible. I will provide a brief outline on some of these developments.

Firstly, dedicated professional counselling support continues to be available nationwide to all survivors.

Secondly, I established a dedicated Information Management Unit within my Department, with a professional archivist, to manage the Commission’s archive of records and support access for individuals to their personal information.

A centre-piece of the Government’s response is the development of a scheme to provide financial payments and a form of enhanced medical card. On 16th November 2021, the Government approved proposals for a Scheme to be known as the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme. The legislation required to establish the Scheme is currently being developed as a matter of priority, with a view to opening the Scheme for applications in 2022.

My Department has also published two substantial pieces of draft legislation.

The Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022 was published on 12 January and passed second stage in the Dáil on 20 January. This landmark legislation will provide a full and clear right of access to birth certificates, birth and early life information for all persons who were adopted, boarded out, the subject of an illegal birth registration or who otherwise have questions in relation to their origins.

Turning to the theme of dignified burial, I have carefully considered the Joint Oireachtas Committee’s pre-legislative report on the General Scheme of the Certain Institutional Burials (Authorised Interventions) Bill. The children in Tuam deserve an appropriate burial and I am determined to deliver legislation which achieves this dignity for them and their families. The Bill is now close to completion. I intend to publish it in the coming weeks and move it through the Houses of Oireachtas as quickly as possible.

A progress report on implementation of the Action Plan will be published annually and laid before the Houses. This monitoring will be supplemented by the preparation of quarterly bulletins. These updates will be published on my Department's website and issued directly to any person who provides their contact information for my Department's dedicated mailing list.

I am aware of the urgency and sensitivity of this work and it is an absolute priority for myself and the Government.