The payment scheme for survivors of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home will open for applications on March 20 it has been announced.
Minister Roderic O’Gorman updated survivors and former residents on plans for the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme today.
“I am pleased to confirm that the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme will open in a matter of weeks, on 20 March,” Minister Roderic O’Gorman said.
“I had committed to opening the Scheme this quarter and I know that many survivors and former residents have been waiting for this news.”
The redress scheme for approximately 34,000 people who survived Mother and Baby Homes was first approved by the government in 2022.
“Given its scale, time has been needed to get the structures in place to open the Scheme and, as we approach the opening date, staff are continuing to work hard, to ensure that the process is as smooth as possible for applicants.”
The Minister said that once applications are being processed, the first payments under the scheme are expected to commence in the second quarter of this year.
Applications will be prioritised based on the age of the person in question, with payments first going to the oldest applicants.
The scheme, which is expected to cost in the region of €800 million, was passed the Dáil in February 2023 after fierce debate regarding the six month cut off period, which means that only those who spend at least 180 days in an institution will be eligible for compensation.
