Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

332. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a mother and baby institutions payment scheme application will be reviewed (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26463/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

While I try to be helpful at all times in the parliamentary process, the Deputy will be aware that I cannot be involved in individual cases and cannot comment on same.

The legislation underpinning the Payment Scheme - the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act 2023 - specifically provides for the explicit independence of the Chief Deciding Officer in administering the application process and making decisions on applications. Therefore, it would be inappropriate for me to engage in the process in relation to the status of individual applications. That said, I will try to be helpful in general terms.

Chapter 2 of the Social History section of the Commission of Investigation report - www.gov.ie/en/publication/89e43-chapter-2-institutions/ - details the different types of institutions that existed and whether they could be considered Mother and Baby Institutions. St Philomena’s, Stillorgan is listed as a residential children's home. It is stated that it "was established in 1932 specifically to cater for children who were in Pelletstown and could not be adopted or fostered". It did not provide ante and post-natal facilities, and therefore it is not included in the Payment Scheme. Manor House, Castlepollard was an institution that provided ante and post-natal facilities, and therefore it is included in the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme.

The Government recognises that there are people who suffered stigma, trauma and abuse in other institutions. If it were to come to light that an institution, in which the State had a regulatory or inspection function, fulfilled a similar function with regard to single women and their children as those included in the Payment Scheme, section 49 of the Act provides that the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, may insert an additional institution into the Schedule.

In addition to a range of applicant supports such as a help-line, public representatives can contact the Payment Scheme Office via a dedicated email address paymentschemereps@equality.gov.ie if they are assisting constituents in relation to the Scheme.

Whilst I cannot explicitly comment on specific applications, I understand that staff from the Payment Scheme Office will be happy to follow up with the Deputy directly in respect of the application to which the Deputy refers.