O'Gorman defends plan to exclude some survivors from redress scheme

The children's minister has faced further criticism for the exclusion of many victims from the mother and baby home redress scheme, with Sinn Féin's Mark Ward calling it a "blatant act of discrimination".

Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman has said that the limited scope of the mother and baby homes redress scheme 'is designed to ensure that former residents do not have to bring forward evidence of trauma'. Picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos

It would cost an extra €300m to include all survivors of mother and baby homes in the redress scheme, the Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman has told an Oireachtas committee.

The Government's proposed redress scheme excludes those who spent less than six months in mother and baby homes, and also does not take into account those who were abused while boarded out.