AQW 8412/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 07/03/2024
Answered On Date: 20/03/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister for a timescale for a redress scheme for victims and survivors of Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses, as recommended by the Truth Recovery Design Panel's report.

Answer:

Work on a draft Bill, covering both the establishment of the Public Inquiry and the Financial Redress Scheme, is well advanced but there are some key policy decisions which the Executive will need to consider before it is ready to go out to public consultation. The consultation period is likely to be 12 weeks and, once responses are analysed and any amendments are made, the draft Bill will then be introduced in the Assembly. Therefore, it is not possible to provide a definitive time period for the financial redress scheme opening, but we are committed to progressing as quickly as possible. Regarding non-financial redress – there is already important support services which has supported over 300 victim and survivors to date. Other non-financial redress elements like apology and memorialisation are critical parts of this process.