Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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135. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 65 of 7 November 2023, when the mother and baby institutions redress scheme will be open for applications; the timeline for when payments will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55649/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme will be the largest scheme of its type in the history of the State with an anticipated 34,000 people eligible under its terms. Given its scale and significance the Scheme has been placed on a statutory footing as enabling legislation was signed into law in July this year.

Before and since the passing of the legislation a comprehensive body of work has been underway to develop the substantial administrative framework required to deliver a Scheme of this size. This work includes:

• the making of the necessary regulations which must be in place prior to the Scheme opening;
• making arrangements for the staffing necessary to deliver the Scheme;
• Developing a comprehensive training programme for all staff involved in the Scheme;
• Developing hard copy and online application systems;
• Developing the case management IT infrastructure for the Scheme;
• Preparing for a substantive public awareness campaign to be delivered in Ireland and overseas. To this end, my officials are currently assessing feedback on draft information materials received from a large number of survivors who answered my recent call to join a Stakeholder Reference Group.