Government appeals landmark mother and baby homes redress ruling

Marie Thornton pictured outside the High Court

The Department of Children is to appeal a landmark High Court ruling on the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme, warning that the judgment has created a “grave degree of uncertainty” around the redress programme.

A spokesperson for the department said the decision was taken following consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, with legal advice indicating the ruling could leave the scheme “so unclear in scope as to become unworkable".