Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 April 2026
703. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total amount spent since January 2024 on a service (details supplied) the third party contracted external provider of phone and application services for the mother and baby payments scheme [28560/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme provides payments and health benefits to thousands of people who spent time in any of the 44 Mother and Baby or County Home Institutions set out in Schedule 1 to the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act 2023. The Scheme opened to applications in March 2024.
In delivering the Scheme a blended operating model is in place. This provides for a Payment Scheme Executive Office situated in the Department to be aided by an experienced third party which facilitates efficient application processing and payments. It also facilitates the ability to scale up and down, as needed, to meet Scheme demand. All staff in the Payment Scheme Executive Office, as well as the third party team, operate under the direction and supervision of the Chief Deciding Officer, as provided for in the legislation, and a comprehensive training programme for all staff involved in the Scheme has been implemented.
The Payment Scheme Executive Office has paid €6.88 million (ex VAT) to the third party for the provision of contact management services in administering the Scheme since January 2024. This figure includes initial set up costs in relation to developing the Payment Scheme Case Management IT System, ongoing operations costs (including resourcing), system maintenance and software licensing costs.
