Information for Applicants Living Outside of Ireland, including in Northern Ireland

If you are living outside of Ireland, including in Northern Ireland, and think that you may be eligible for the Payment Scheme, you can apply in the same way as someone living in Ireland – via the online portal or by post, if you’d prefer to use a paper form. Further information is available here.

Regardless of where you are living, the financial payments from this scheme are provided in the same way.

In terms of health support benefits under the scheme, the services available through the medical card cannot be availed of outside of Ireland. So, if you live abroad, including Northern Ireland, you can apply for a Health Support Payment valued at €3,000, instead of the medical card.

In order to apply for the Health Support Payment, you will have to provide proof that you live outside of Ireland with one of the following:

• a copy of your mortgage statement,
• a copy your tenancy or rental agreement,
• a letter from the owner or manager of a nursing home or
• a utility bill in your own name.

This must be dated within the last six months. If you have any issue providing one of these documents as proof of address, please contact the Payment Scheme Office.

The financial payments made under the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme will be made in euro to your account in a financial institution nominated by you.

The Payment Scheme can make payments to any financial institution that can accept an international funds transfer in euro including banks, building societies, credit unions and post offices.

When providing your financial account details, you should ensure that this account can accept a euro funds transfer and that there is no cap on the amount that can be accepted into the account in a once-off transfer. If you have any questions or concerns in relation to how we will pay your award, please contact the Payment Scheme Office.

It is important to be aware that any payments you receive from the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme may affect your means tested benefits or have tax implications in the country where you live. You may need to contact your local Tax Administration Office or the body that provides your means tested payment to confirm this. If you have any concerns in relation to this, please contact the Payment Scheme Office. If you have any concerns in relation to this, please contact the Payment Scheme Office.

Further information on the supports available for applicants living abroad can be found on the Payment Scheme website at

https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/supports-available-when-applying-to-the-payment-scheme/