Justice Must be Delivered to Mother and Baby Homes Survivors
- Labour Senator Laura Harmon welcomes new Bill in Britain
Senator Laura Harmon has welcomed the introduction of legislation today in the House of Commons to support thousands of former residents of Irish Mother and Baby Homes and County Homes living in Britain who are set to lose their benefits if they accept compensation from the Irish Government for time spent in these institutions.
This legislation is being introduced in the House of Commons today by Liam Conlon, MP for Beckenham and Penge, who is chair of the UK Labour Party’s Irish Society.
The Bill, named after Philomena Lee, a Mother and Baby Home survivor and ‘Philomena’s Law’ calls for any redress payments made to British residents under the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme to be ring-fenced so it won’t affect their eligibility for means-tested benefits or financial support for social care.
In Britain, it is estimated that take up of the scheme is as low as 5%, as many eligible survivors worry that accepting payments could ultimately land them in a worse financial situation overall.
Senator Harmon said:
‘‘I welcome this Bill and ‘Philomena’s Law’ will deliver justice to thousands of Mother and Baby Homes survivors living in Britain. Take up of the scheme is as low as 5% in Britain because many eligible survivors worry they will end up worse financially if they accept payments – this needs to change. No amount of money can rectify the wrongs that were inflicted on survivors but access to this scheme should be uncomplicated for all survivors.
Senator Harmon added: ‘I don’t believe the scheme itself goes far enough and that survivors who have spent any amount of time in a Mother and Baby Home should be eligible for financial compensation. Currently, a mother who was there for at least one night can claim compensation under this scheme but a child had to be there for at least 180 days. Any child who spent a day in a Mother and Baby Home should be eligible to apply.’’