Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1092. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for a copy of the waiver that some recipients of the mother and baby institutions payment scheme will be required to sign; who drafted the waiver; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14043/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

If a person decides to accept a payment award under the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme they will be asked to sign a legal waiver. To help them to decide if they want to take the payment and sign the waiver, they will be entitled to support towards the cost of legal fees incurred, up to a maximum of €500 (excluding VAT) per application. This will be reimbursed by the Payment Scheme Office once the applicant provides an invoice or receipt from their solicitor. The invoice or receipt needs to include the name of the applicant and the application reference number. The reimbursement will be made directly to the applicant via bank transfer.

The Deputy requested a copy of the waiver and I can confirm that it is available on the Scheme website, at the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/bed53-mother-and-baby-institutions-payment-scheme-your-questions-answered/#do-i-need-to-obtain-legal-advice-at-any-stage-of-the-process-will-i-be-required-to-sign-a-legal-waiver-before-i-receive-a-payment.

It is important to note that the waiver for the Mother and Baby Payments Institutions Scheme will be signed only when the applicant already knows exactly what they are being offered from the Scheme, allowing them to make a fully informed decision.

Signing a waiver will not mean that survivors cannot discuss their experience of engaging with the Scheme or the payment they may have received. They are free to do this should they so wish.

A waiver is a common feature of ex-gratia schemes. Part of the logic for this is that a person accepting an award under an ex-gratia scheme usually benefits from less burdensome procedures than those used in the courts, does not risk incurring high legal fees if their case is not successful and has a greater likelihood of success than they would have if they brought a case to court. The IDG Report also pointed to an element of finality which waivers can bring.

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1093. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the name of the company that has been given responsibility for administering the mother and baby institutions payment scheme; the total cost to administer the scheme; the details of the tender process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14044/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1093, 1100 and 1101 together.

The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme opened on 20 March.

In terms of staffing for Scheme delivery, a blended operating model was developed. This provides for the Chief Deciding Officer to be supported by a core Executive Office based in my Department and also by experienced third party support, appointed following a procurement process. This blended approach facilitates efficiencies in application processing and payments, with of the order of 90 staff involved in the Scheme at the outset, scalable as necessary depending on applicant numbers at any given time.

All staff in the Executive Office, as well as on the third party support team, operate under the direction and supervision of the Chief Deciding Officer and a comprehensive training programme for all staff involved in Scheme administration has been delivered.

To procure the third party support, a tender competition titled Mini-Competition for the provision of Contact Management and Related Administrative Services for the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme was advertised to the members of the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) Framework for Managed Business Process Support Services, Lot 1: Contact Management and Related Administrative Services. OGP provided support throughout the process and there were four bidders. The published estimated contract value for this competition is in the order of €10-13 million over 8 years (equating to a six year contract term plus the possibility for two 12 month extensions). ‘Relate Care’ was the successful bidder.

Of the total amount of €800m that Government has allocated for the Payment Scheme, the estimated total amount that will be allocated under the scheme in awards to former residents is €773.05m. This figure includes €23.05m intended to meet the costs associated with financial support towards independent legal advice for former residents. The balance is allocated to provide for Scheme administration costs and outreach supports, including the administrative costs associated with the provision of enhanced medical cards to survivors and former residents under the scheme, and the national and international communications campaign dedicated to informing survivors about the Scheme and how to apply.