Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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105. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps she will take in view of the publication of the report on negotiations with religious organisations associated with the mother and baby institutions payment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20527/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes made significant findings in relation to the failings of the State and religious organisations, who together ran Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. The Government believes that all relevant parties have a collective responsibility to respond to Ireland's legacy in relation to these institutions. The State has accepted its own responsibility by apologising to survivors of these institutions and committing to a suite of measures to respond to their priority needs and concerns. These measures are set out in the Action Plan for Survivors, a cornerstone of which is Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme.

My predecessor put in place a process to seek a financial contribution towards the cost of the Payment Scheme from those religious bodies identified by the Commission as being associated with Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. Earlier this month I published the report I received on the process.

Since I published the report, I have written to the religious organisations involved. I formally accepted the one monetary offer made and confirmed my interest in assessing the other offer received, that of a working premises, as a first step.

I have publicly stated that I am disappointed by the approach adopted by organisations and I do believe that more could and should have been done by way of offering contributions to the Payment Scheme.

I have called on the other organisations to reflect further on their willingness to make a meaningful contribution to the Payment Scheme. My Department is available to engage with these organisations at any stage on this matter.