NI-born mother and baby home survivor excluded from Irish compensation scheme

A Dubliner whose mother gave birth to her while she was living in a Newry mother and baby home has spoken of her hurt at being excluded from an Irish state compensation scheme.

Sinead Buckley’s mother left her home in the Republic of Ireland in 1972 to have her baby in Northern Ireland, due to the fear and stigma of being recognised as an unmarried mother.

After the birth, an Irish adoption agency arranged for Ms Buckley to be adopted by a Dublin family and she grew up in the Irish capital, never meeting her mother nor knowing much about her birth family.

This week, the Irish government will begin the process of compensating former residents of mother and baby homes.

But it only applies to women and children who spent time in homes in the Republic of Ireland – Irish residents who were sent to homes in Northern Ireland are not eligible for payment.

The rules also exclude about 24,000 people who were born into mother and baby homes in the south but spent less than six months in the institutions.

Stormont’s government agreed to set up a public inquiry and redress scheme in Northern Ireland in 2021 but these are yet to be established.