Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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139. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on how survivors of historical abuse can go about accessing supports which are included in the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Act 2025; the method by which this information will be publicised, so that survivors can access supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64134/25]

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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140. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the family of a recently deceased survivor of an industrial school who had received compensation through the Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002, would be eligible for funding to help cover the costs of the funeral; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64135/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 140 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, in June 2023, the Government approved the provision of a package of supports to survivors of abuse in residential institutions, such as industrial schools and reformatories, comprised of ongoing health, education and advocacy supports.

While the provision of health and supports required the passage of legislation, in November 2023 the Department entered a grant funding arrangement with Sage Advocacy, a specialist independent advocacy organisation, to provide advocacy supports to survivors wishing to engage with other relevant services.

Government approved the legislation required to roll out health and education supports in April 2024 and the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Act 2025 completed its passage through the legislative process in July 2025. Administrative arrangements for the delivery of these supports are being finalised and it is expected that they will be open for applications from survivors shortly.

Information on these supports will be published on the Department’s website and the Department will also promote the availability of these supports through Sage Advocacy, the Special Advocate for Survivors, survivors groups and other channels.

With regard to funeral grants, this falls within the remit of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and is one of a number of issues which the Taoiseach and I discussed with a group of survivors on Monday 10 November. A mediation process has been put in place to work through the detail of those issues and the aim is to conclude that process as soon as possible.