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13 Nov 2025
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13 Nov 2025
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EU Parliament
Sinn Féin MEP for Ireland South, Kathleen Funchion, hosted survivors and campaigners representing various Mother and Baby Institution groups in the European Parliament on Wednesday.
The delegation met with representatives from the office of EU Commissioner Michael McGrath, the Commissioner for Human Rights at the Council of Europe and Lina Gálvez MEP, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM).
They also briefed Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael MEPs, sharing their personal experiences and outlining what must be addressed in the 2026 review of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme legislation.
SEE ALSO: Kilkenny rental prices rise again in new Daft report
Speaking after the delegation, MEP Funchion said: “I want to commend those who so bravely shared their personal stories of abuse, loss and the lasting impact these institutions have had on their lives.”
“I also want to thank the Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil MEPs who took the time to meet with the group. I urge them to take what they heard today back to their Government colleagues ahead of the 2026 review of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme.”
“That review must right the wrongs in the current legislation, ending the unfair six-month residency rule, ensuring all survivors and institutions are included, and guaranteeing full access to personal records,” Ms Funchion added.
Over €66m has been paid out under the scheme so far, but some survivors have not been made eligible due to issues like certain institutions in which mothers and children were held being classed as hospitals, and therefore not included in redress.
“The review is a vital opportunity to address the deep hurt caused by exclusion from the current scheme and to ensure every survivor is treated with dignity and respect,” Ms Funchion outlined.
“No one should be excluded from truth, justice, or redress,” she concluded.
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