Eoin Hayes (Dublin Bay South, Social Democrats)
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119. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the plans that are in place to provide a State pension (contributory) to survivors of institutional abuse in recognition of their unpaid labour; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15582/26]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Last July, the Oireachtas passed the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Act 2025.

The Act has two main purposes – to enable the delivery of ongoing health and education supports to survivors of abuse in residential institutions and to allow the formal dissolution of Caranua.

The package of supports builds upon the already significant State response to this issue.

Government recently agreed to strengthen the health and education supports to be provided under the Act. While the Act does not provide for the making of a pension-type payment to survivors, Government has instead approved the expansion of the education support payments scheme under the Act to provide support for informal learning and self-development, as well as formal learning.

My Department is finalising arrangements for the rollout of these supports and it is expected that they will be made available to eligible survivors very shortly.

Information on the supports, including in relation to application processes, will be published on the Department’s website and will be communicated to relevant advocacy and survivor groups to ensure as many survivors as possible are made aware of the availability of the supports.

Survivors who wish to receive direct information from the Department in relation to the supports can contact survivorsupports@education.gov.ie.