William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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240. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if eligibility under the mother-and-baby-home redress scheme will be reviewed to include all affected survivors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8395/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Government proposals for the Payment Scheme were developed following deliberations on the very complex issues in question. They were informed by a consultation process undertaken with survivors, as well as a report and proposals from an Interdepartmental Group (IDG). Government ultimately decided on proposals which were, in overall terms, broader than those proposed by the IDG and the recommendations from the Commission of Investigation.

The Payment Scheme recognises time spent in a Mother and Baby Institution and, in this way, the associated harsh conditions endured over a period of time. Among the eligibility criteria for the Scheme is the requirement for children to have spent at least 180 days in a relevant institution. This is not intended to disregard or diminish any person’s experience and Government recognises that there are people who will be disappointed by this.

For children who spent less than six months in an institution and who were adopted in infancy or left the institution with their birth family, the priority need expressed by survivors was access to records. As of 17th February 2025, under the Birth Information and Tracing Act, the Adoption Authority of Ireland and Tusla have completed over 15,250 applications for information. All applications are processed in accordance with statutory timeframes.

The underpinning legislation for the Mother and Baby Institutions Scheme provides for a number of reports and reviews to be produced. Section 12 provides for annual reports to be prepared by 30 June by the Chief Deciding Officer of the Scheme. These reports are to include details on applications, determinations, staffing and training. Section 48 provides for two reviews into the operation of the Scheme to be completed. The first is to be completed within six months of the Scheme’s second anniversary, by September 2026.

As the Scheme has been open for less than a year and I have yet to receive the first annual report from the Chief Deciding Officer, it would be premature to consider changes to eligibility at this time.

It is important to emphasise that the Payment Scheme is just one element of the Government’s response to the complex legacy of Mother and Baby Institutions. Of the seven major commitments set out in the Government Action Plan for Survivors, six are now delivered and in place, while the seventh is well underway. Key actions which have been achieved include counselling support, the appointment of the Special Advocate for Survivors, as well as the ongoing development of the National Centre for Research and Remembrance.