Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent)
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1204. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are plans to make the enhanced medical card scheme available for those who spent time in mother and baby homes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30718/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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In March, I secured Government approval for the Heads of Bill for the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme. I have sought priority drafting of the Bill to ensure that it can be introduced to the Houses of the Oireachtas as soon as possible. I have also referred the draft Heads of Bill to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for pre-legislative scrutiny, again requesting their assistance in meeting the urgent need to deliver this Scheme for survivors as soon as possible.

In accordance with the draft Heads of Bill, a person will be eligible for an enhanced medical card if they were resident in a relevant institution for six months or more. The card will provide access to the same suite of services offered to those who hold the Magdalen Restorative Justice Ex-Gratia Scheme medical card. The decision to provide an enhanced medical card to those who spent 6 months or more in an institution was taken by Government as it is felt that those who spent longest in these institutions will likely have endured more negative impacts on their health and wellbeing and are also more likely to be at the older end of the broad spectrum of survivors. This ties in with ensuring that access to health services is determined based on need.

For those eligible applicants who live outside of Ireland, they will have the choice to accept a once-off health support payment of €3000 instead of the medical card, if they wish. This would be in recognition of, and as a contribution towards, their individual health needs.

It is also important to note that beyond the plans for the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme, and through the broader Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions, counselling support has been made available to all survivors since before the publication of the Commission’s Final Report. That service has been strengthened with additional investment and an expanded out of hours service. In addition, the Department of Health, in partnership with the HSE, is working on establishing a Patient Advocacy Liaison Service. When up and running, that service will have a dedicated team who can provide bespoke information and support to survivors to assist them in accessing health services which they may need. The Department of Health is also working with the Health Research Board on a research project to identify the health needs of survivors. This research will help to further inform future health policy and service responses.