Ireland's Minister for Children, Disability, and Equality, Norma Foley, published the report of Negotiations with Religious Organisations associated with Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme on Tuesday, April 8.
Minister Foley received the report from independent negotiator Sheila Nunan on Monday, March 31, 2025, and published the report - which can be viewed here - on Tuesday.
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.
Nunan engaged with eight religious bodies involved in the institutions over a period of some 20 months.
Ultimately, only three of the eight religious bodies have offered a contribution.
Min. @NormaFoleyTD1 today published the report of the independent negotiator, Ms. Sheila Nunan
Ms. Nunan engaged with eight religious bodies involved in the institutions over a period of some 20 months
Full Press Release: https://t.co/z4p06VW7pp pic.twitter.com/b16651exDb
— Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, Youth (@dcediy) April 8, 2025
"Varied" engagement
Ireland's Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth noted that it procured financial experts - Ernst & Young Business Advisory Services (EY) - to support Nunan in her negotiations.
After their appointment in late 2023, EY conducted an independent financial assessment of the resources of each organization involved. This included an assessment of all publicly available financial information pertaining to the religious organizations and a request to each for detailed and specific financial information. Just two organizations responded to these detailed requests.
The work carried out by EY served to enable Nunan to appropriately engage in a financial negotiation with the organizations.
However, as per Nunan's report: "Engagement with the religious organizations varied.
"Some of the organizations disputed their inclusion in the negotiation process and had indicated prior to the appointment of the Negotiator that they would not be making a contribution.
"Certain organizations rejected any assertion that they might have a legal and/or moral responsibility for the running of the institutions."
Who contributed?
The Sisters of Bon Secours offered a cash contribution of €12,974,720, which is in line with the negotiator’s determination of a meaningful contribution. Government has agreed to accept this contribution.
The Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul offered a contribution of a building. Government has agreed that the Minister should consider this offer and engage further with the congregation in relation to it.
The Sisters of St John of God offered a conditional donation of €75,000 to be used as a charitable donation towards a charitable purpose associated with mother and baby home survivors.
The other five bodies - Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd; Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; Legion of Mary; Church of Ireland; and Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy - did not offer any contribution.
"Much more could have been done"
Responding to the report, Minister Foley said on Tuesday: “The state has accepted its own responsibility for what happened to women and their children in Mother and Baby Homes by firstly apologizing and also setting up a Payment Scheme.
"A process was put in place to seek a financial contribution towards the cost of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme from religious bodies associated with Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions.
"While acknowledging the financial contribution by the Sisters of Bon Secours, I believe that much more could have been done by the other religious bodies concerned.
"I would encourage other religious bodies to reflect further on their willingness to make a meaningful contribution to the Payment Scheme and note that my Department is available to engage with them on this matter at any stage."
After thanking Nunan for her "excellent and extensive work on the negotiations," Minister Foley said: "I will ask my officials to liaise with the Office of the Attorney General to consider if any further options are available to the State in this regard."
She added: "I also wish to re-emphasise that Government is committed to implementing all aspects of the Action Plan.
"The benefits provided under the Payment Scheme, as well as the commitments and initiatives being implemented more broadly under the Action Plan, remain in place regardless of the response of the religious bodies to this process."
What is the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme?
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 July 11, 2023 and regulations to allow the Scheme to operate were signed on March 2024.
On Tuesday, Minister Foley told RTÉ News at One that she was hopeful of a bigger uptake for the redress scheme, as so far 6,000 of a possible 30,000 people who are eligible have applied.
You can learn about the eligibility criteria for Ireland's Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme online here, and find out how to apply to the scheme here.
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