The Report, published by Minister for Children, Norma Foley outlines the process of seeking a financial contribution towards the cost of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme.
Just three of eight orders engaged with in the process and offered a contribution.
Ms Sheila Nunan engaged with eight religious bodies involved in the institutions over a period of some 20 months.
On foot of this engagement, one of the bodies, the Sisters of Bon Secours, offered a cash contribution of €12.97m which is in line with the negotiator’s determination of a meaningful contribution. Government has agreed to accept this contribution.
Another body, the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, offered a contribution of a building. Government has agreed that the Minister should consider this offer and engage further with the congregation in relation to it.
A third body, the Sisters of St John of God, offered a conditional donation of €75,000 to be used as a charitable donation towards a charitable purpose associated with mother and baby home survivors.
The remaining bodies did not offer any contribution.
Minister Foley received the report from Ms Nunan last week, on Monday 31 March 2025, and is publishing the report today.
Responding to the report, Minister Foley stated:
“The state has accepted its own responsibility for what happened to women and their children in Mother and Baby Homes by firstly apologising and also setting up a Payment Scheme. A process was put in place to seek a financial contribution towards the cost of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme from religious bodies associated with Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions
While acknowledging the financial contribution by the Sisters of Bon Secours, I believe that much more could have been done by the other religious bodies concerned.
I would encourage other religious bodies to reflect further on their willingness to make a meaningful contribution to the Payment Scheme and note that my Department is available to engage with them on this matter at any stage.
I want to thank Ms. Sheila Nunan for her excellent and extensive work on the negotiations. She approached the task with integrity and in-depth attention to detail, and her report is testament to that. I understand that it was a challenging process, particularly as it was, of legal necessity, a voluntary process whereby the negotiator could not compel bodies to produce information or offer contributions. To that end, I will ask my officials to liaise with the Office of the Attorney General to consider if any further options are available to the State in this regard.
Finally, I also wish to re-emphasise that Government is committed to implementing all aspects of the Action Plan. The benefits provided under the Payment Scheme, as well as the commitments and initiatives being implemented more broadly under the Action Plan, remain in place regardless of the response of the religious bodies to this process.”
Ms. Nunan concluded her work and submitted her report on 31 March 2025. It can be viewed here.
Contact Information
Department of Children, Equality, Disability Integration and Youth .
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- Notes To Editors -
The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes made significant findings in relation to the failings of the State and religious organisations, who together ran Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions.
The Government believes that all relevant parties have a collective responsibility to respond to Ireland's legacy in relation to these institutions.
In early 2021, the Government committed to develop the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme, and the then Minister, Roderic O’Gorman, commenced a process of engagement with each of the organisations involved, with a view to securing financial contributions to the cost of the Payment Scheme.
He initially wrote to eight religious organisations referred to in the work of the Commission of Investigation.
Congregation of Lady of the Good Shepherd,
Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
The Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul
The Sisters of Bons Secours
The Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy
Sisters of St. John of God
The Legion of Mary
The Church of Ireland (Representative Church Body)
As departmental officials became primarily focused on drafting the legislation and developing the operational infrastructure for the Payment Scheme, then Minister O’Gorman sought Government approval to engage an experienced person to conduct the negotiation process on his behalf.
This ensured that the task of attempting to secure a financial contribution from religious organisations was given the time and attention that was needed.
In addition, the person appointed in May 2023, Ms. Sheila Nunan, former President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, brought substantive, specialist expertise to the task.
Ms Nunan continued the process of engagement commenced by Minister O’Gorman to its conclusion with the presentation of her report to Minister Foley on 31 March 2025.
To facilitate Ms Nunan in her negotiations, the Department procured financial experts - Ernst & Young Business Advisory Services (EY) - to support her.
After their appointment in late 2023, EY conducted an independent financial assessment of the resources of each organisation involved.
This included an assessment of all publicly available financial information pertaining to the religious organisations and a request to each for detailed and specific financial information. Just two organisations responded to these detailed requests.
Ultimately, the work carried out by EY served to enable Ms Nunan to appropriately engage in a financial negotiation with the organisations.