Sinn Féin spokesperson for Children, Integration, Equality and Youth, Claire Kerrane TD, has raised the delays of payments to survivors under the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme in the Dáil.

Of the 5,025 applications made, just 1,306 payments have been made to survivors or are being processed. Around 34,000 people are eligible to apply under the Scheme.

Teachta Kerrane said:

“Minister, I want to raise with you that just 1,300 payments have been made or are in the process of being made under the Mother and Baby Home Redress Scheme, that is out of the 34,000 people eligible, not to mention the 24,000 people who have been left out of the scheme.

“I was made aware of today a 91-year-old woman who is still waiting, she applied under the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme in March.

“The Scheme has been open now for 6 months. Older people were supposed to have been prioritised.

“Another person who has contacted me earlier this week – their loved one passed away since they applied, they received nothing.

“I really want to ask if the government will look at the Payment Scheme and system that is in place, will fix what’s there and try and speed up the payment to these survivors – who have quite frankly, been through enough already.

“This needs to be fixed and it needs to be fixed quickly.”