Micheál Martin defends mother and baby homes redress scheme

Government has 'gone well beyond the recommendations of the commission in respect of the payment scheme', Taoiseach tells Dáil

Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman apologised for claiming children who spent less than six months in mother and baby homes 'wouldn’t remember' their experiences. Picture: Maxwells

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has defended the redress scheme for mother and baby home survivors, claiming it goes much further than what had been recommended.

Mr Martin acknowledged that not everyone would be satisfied with the entirety of the €800m scheme announced this week, but said the Government had "gone well beyond the recommendations of the commission in respect of the payment scheme".