People in Donegal who spent time in Mother and Baby Institutions are being encouraged to find out whether they may be eligible for financial payments and health supports.
The appeal comes as applications to the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme have increased following the launch of a nationwide public awareness campaign on August 24th.
Institutions located in Donegal included The Castle in Newtowncunningham and Donegal County Home, also known as St Joseph’s Hospital in Stranorlar.
This call-out to people in Donegal comes as an additional 202 people have applied for the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme since the launch of a nationwide public awareness campaign on 24 August.
It brings the number of applicants to the Scheme to almost 7,600, with over 6,200 payments made under the Scheme so far.
Applications are confidential, with information and support available throughout the process. Applicants do not need to provide institutional records, exact dates or detailed accounts of their experiences.
Anyone seeking further information can visit the Scheme’s dedicated website paymentscheme.ie or call the confidential Scheme’s Freephone service on 1800 843 354.
Family members, carers and friends are also encouraged to support anyone who may be eligible to find out more.
Information is also available nationwide through primary care centres, public libraries, post offices, nursing homes and Citizens Information offices.
The Stranorlar County Home was among the institutions examined by the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes.
Between 1922 and 1964, 1,646 unmarried mothers were admitted to the home, while 1,777 children were admitted or born there.
The final Mother and Baby Homes report recorded that 343 children described at the time as “illegitimate” died in infancy or early childhood.
The Castle in Newtowncunningham operated as a supported hostel for women and children between 1982 and 2006.
A total of 329 women and 64 accompanying children passed through its doors during that period.