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Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme - Background and Legislation



Background

The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme provides financial payments and an enhanced medical card or health support payment to defined groups in acknowledgement of circumstances experienced while resident in Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions.

The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act was signed into law on 11 July 2023 and regulations to allow the Scheme to operate were signed on March 2024.

Some further information, including the Act, the Regulations and the Payment Scheme Ministerial Guidelines, is available at the links below.

Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act 2023
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Report on Negotiations with Religious Orders

On 8 April 2025 Minister Foley published the report of the independent negotiator, Ms. Sheila Nunan, on Negotiations with Religious Organisations associated with Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme. Ms Nunan was tasked with leading a negotiation process with religious bodies associated with Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions, with a view to seeking a financial contribution towards the cost of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme.

The report is broken up into 3 parts:

Negotiations Report
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Negotiations Report Appendices
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Negotiations Report Financial Assessment
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Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Policy Guidelines
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The Legislative Process
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Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022 Plain English Version
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Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill Regulatory Impact Analysis
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Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill Data Protection Impact Assessment
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Developing the Payment Scheme

In designing the Payment Scheme, Government agreed proposals informed by a variety of inputs and sources including an Interdepartmental Group consultation with survivors and former residents and the IHREC. A General Scheme was then published. Further information is available in the documents linked below.

General Scheme of a Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill
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Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Government Proposals
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Report of the Interdepartmental Group (IDG) on the development of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme (November 2021)
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OAK Report of the findings of the Consultation with Survivors of Mother and Baby Homes and County Homes
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