“It is astonishing to learn that, to date, not one cent has been handed over by the church bodies complicit in the inhumane treatment and systematic abuse of innocent women and children in these institutions over the course of many decades.
“Initial attempts to secure a financial contribution from religious orders dragged on for two years without any breakthrough. This led to the Government’s appointment of an expert negotiator in May 2023 to accelerate discussions with the relevant Catholic and Church of Ireland bodies.
“However, it has now emerged that the six-month deadline set to secure a final offer from the religious orders has been missed by some distance.
“This is a further slap in the face for those who were incarcerated in mother and baby homes. On top of the lifelong suffering they endured, in recent years they have had to contend with a seriously flawed Commission of Investigation report and an inadequate redress scheme that excluded 24,000 survivors.
“It is also bitterly disappointing to learn that the Minister for Children is set to contest legal challenges being taken to force the Government to broaden eligibility for the redress scheme, which excludes certain institutions and those who spent less than six months in a mother and baby home as a child.
“Such a callous approach shows that this Government has learned nothing from our history. It is the continuation of a shameful tradition where the considerable legal resources of the State are used to stymie victims as they try to vindicate their rights in court.”