The Dáil is in the final stages of legislating for the redress scheme for the survivors of the mother and baby homes. There is widespread criticism of this scheme from Opposition, legal and human rights experts and, most importantly of all, from the survivors. The main criticism stems from the exclusion of survivors who have spent less than six months in these institutions. That means the trauma of a baby who was forcibly removed from his or her mother is not being acknowledged by this scheme. That accounts for approximately 40% of survivors. Will the Tánaiste explain why the six-month rule was put in place? Does he believe that whatever happens to a baby under six months old does not matter, or that a person does not feel the trauma of what happened when he or she was less than six months old?

No scheme can ever right the wrong done to a baby who was separated from his or her mother.

The Tánaiste could try.

The Tánaiste should not compound the wrongs.

However, with regard to actions taken, this Government has done more than any previous Government in its comprehensive response. I refer both to the redress scheme and to the issue that has always been most pressing during the past decade, that is, access to information. The Birth Information and Tracing Bill has probably been the most radical legislation to come before us in the past year. It came through the House. It was a real priority identified by all concerned with this issue. The redress scheme is significantly in advance of what was recommended by the commission. It will include financial payments for an estimated 34,000 people and a form of enhanced medical card for an estimated 19,000 people. The approximate cost will be €800 million. The scheme is currently going through the House.