The Government has repeatedly failed to provide details to its special advocate for survivors of institutional abuse about how many mother and baby home residents have qualified for its redress scheme. The mother and baby institutions payment scheme opened for applications in March 2024. The payment scheme provides a general payment, a work-related payment for mothers, and a medical card, or a health-support payment for those outside the State. Patricia Carey, the Government-appointed special advocate for institutional abuse, told the Irish Examiner she has been seeking the same figures as Ms Funchion for nearly six months. “The State has established a redress scheme, and yet they can’t produce figures to say how many people have applied from each of the currently eligible institutions.

Source: Irish Examiner March 13, 2026 13:00 UTC