Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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19. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on the implementation of the Magdalen laundry redress scheme. [5272/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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To date, 680 applications have been received under the ex gratia scheme which was established by Government for the benefit of those women who were admitted to and worked in the Magdalen Laundries, St Mary's Training Centre, Stanhope Street and House of Mercy Training School, Summerhill, Wexford. The applications are being processed as quickly as possible and over 280 letters of formal offer have issued to women at this stage. As soon as an applicant accepts the offer, payment will be processed quickly. So far, 144 women have accepted the formal offer and as at the end of January payments issued to over 100 applicants totalling €3.5 million.

I am also informed that letters of provisional assessment were issued to a further 32 applicants and if they agree with the provisional assessment with regard to their length of time in a relevant institution they will be issued with a letter of formal offer. The remaining applications require further investigation. In cases where the religious have no clear record, my officials will have to carry out a thorough examination checking whatever records are available to see if they support the claim. The applicant will also be asked to provide any relevant information that could corroborate her claim that she was in a specific institution for a period of time.

As the Deputy will be aware the women who have agreed to participate in the Scheme will receive other supports as recommended by Judge Quirke. The Department of Social Protection are establishing a new scheme and will be in a position to commence payments of a weekly pension type payment to the women by mid 2014. The Deputy will also be aware that these payment will be backdated to the 1st of August 2013. The women will also be granted access to a range of public health services once the necessary legislation is in place. The Government agreed that I would bring forward in one Bill, in consultation with and on behalf of the relevant Departments, any necessary legislative measures to implement the scheme.