Residential institutions redress scheme could be extended to Mother and Baby Homes

The existing redress scheme for victims of residential child abuse could be re-opened to provide redress for those abused in Mother and Baby Homes, The Irish Times reports.

The recommendation is contained in the currently unpublished second interim report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes, the paper says.

The report does not go into specific plans for compensation, but suggests that the redress board set up under the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 could handle the new applications.

It is understood that Government officials are wary of the recommendation as the redress scheme cost a total of €1.5 billion by the end of 2015, including €192.9 million in legal fees.

The report, produced by Judge Yvonne Murphy, is expected to be published sometime next week.

Children’s Minister Dr Katherine Zappone previously told the Dáil it would be published “as soon as possible in conjunction with the Government’s response to the commission’s findings”.