Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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941. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 18 of 24 October 2024, the number of payments made in each category of Schedules 2 and 3 of the 2023 Act; the number of applications refused and the reasons therefor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44591/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme is designed to provide payments and medical supports to people who spent time in one or more of the 44 Mother and Baby or County Home Institutions as set out in Schedule 1 to the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act, 2023.

As of 28 October, over 5,300 applications have been received, of which over 4,800 are completed applications which can be processed. In the case of incomplete applications, applicants are being supported by the Payment Scheme Office in order to provide outstanding information so that their application can move forward. This could be, for example, a supporting document such as certified photo ID.

Almost 4,200 notices of determination have issued, over 82% of which contain an offer of benefits under the Scheme. Applicants have 6 months to consider their offer before they need to respond. Where notices of determination do not provide an offer of benefits, this is due to not meeting the relevant eligibility criteria.

To date, over 2,600 applicants have accepted an offer under the Scheme, and more than 2,200 payments are either processed and completed or in the process of being made (over 1,000 in Schedule 2 and over 1,200 in Schedule 3).