Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 June 2026
161. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a costing of introducing a contributory State pension for survivors of industrial and reformatory schools, based on the current estimated survivor population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47902/26]
View answerIt is acknowledged that some survivors of abuse in residential institutions, such as industrial schools and reformatories, have called for the provision of a pension-type payment to survivors. This matter was discussed and debated in detail during the passage of the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Act 2025.
While survivors of the Magdalen Laundries receive a social welfare payment which is equivalent to the full pension, it must be recognised that those women were engaged, as adults, in commercial work without pay and without the required social insurance contributions.
In the context of the implementation of the 2025 Act and, following the conclusion of a mediation process in January of this year, Government has instead approved the expansion of the education support payments scheme under the Act to include provide support for informal learning and self-development, as well as formal learning. My Department has made approximately 600 such payments to date.
