Applications have opened this week for survivors of Mother and Baby Homes to access the government redress payment scheme.
The Payment Scheme provides financial payments and health supports to eligible people who spent time in Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions in Ireland.
The quickest and easiest way to apply is to do so online by visiting www.gov.ie/paymentscheme .
For those who wish to apply using a hard copy of the application form, this can be downloaded from the website, or applicants can request a copy by post by phoning the Payment Scheme Office helpline at +353 1 522 9992.
The Payment Scheme Office will process all applications as quickly as possible. It will give priority to applications according to the age of the applicant, and so applications from older people will be dealt with first.
The first cohort to be processed will be applications from those aged 80 and older.
Further resources, including an information booklet, questions and answers, and straightforward information on the application process, is available at the dedicated Payment Scheme website – www.gov.ie/paymentscheme .
The €800 million scheme is estimated to be available to approximately 34,000 people who survived Mother and Baby Homes in Ireland.
However, it has also been criticised, as the time requirement of at least six months in the home is expected to exclude many people from the scheme.
