MPs in the House of Commons have been urged to back a change to British law which currently financially penalises British-resident Irish women and their children if they accept compensation for abuse they suffered in mother and baby homes in the Republic.
Liam Conlon, a London-based Labour MP with Irish roots, has introduced legislation in Westminster to prevent victims’ means-tested state benefits from being cut in Britain if they take the Irish payouts.
The penalty has “deterred” many from seeking compensation, he said, noting that only 5 per cent of the 13,000 eligible women in Britain have applied. Applicants from Northern Ireland do not face the same block.
Mr Conlon told MPs on Wednesday that many victims had moved to Britain to escape the pain of what had happened to them in institutions. He said they fled Ireland as a “direct result” of their experiences, which included having their babies taken and forced unpaid work.
Rosie O’Donnell moving to Ireland to escape Trump administration
Fiona McHugh, former Sunday Times Ireland editor and Fallon & Byrne co-founder, dies aged 57
Micheál Martin in Washington live updates: Taoiseach invites Trump to Ireland as president criticises EU and ‘massive’ Irish-US trade deficit
Limerick hurler Kyle Hayes disqualified from driving for two years after failed appeal
“Some also thought that disappearing was the only way to protect their families’ reputations,” said Mr Conlon, chairman of the Labour Party Irish society. His mother, Sue Gray, the daughter of Irish immigrants, is also a former chief of staff to prime minister Keir Starmer.
“We must change the law,” Mr Conlon told MPs, as he proposed that the Irish payouts should get a “capital disregard” when assessing for British benefits. There is precedent for such a move, including for compensation for survivors of the 7/7 bombings in London in 2005 and Windrush immigrants.
His proposal is being called Philomena’s Law, after Limerick-born campaigner Philomena Lee. She spent 50 years searching for her son, who was forcibly taken from her at a mother and baby home in Tipperary and adopted in the United States. She was later played by Oscar-winning actress Judi Dench in a 2013 Hollywood adaptation of her story, Philomena, which also starred Steve Coogan.
Ms Lee later moved to England to work as a nurse. Seventy years on, her daughter Jane and grandson Joshua acknowledged Mr Conlon from the gallery above the Commons chamber as he rose to his feet to introduce his bill, which received vocal support from MPs on all sides of the house.
It was formally backed by Labour MPs including Irish-born parliamentarians Deirdre Costigan, originally from Walkinstown and now MP for Ealing Southall in London, and Damien Egan, born in Cork and now MP for Bristol North East.
[ Case of three siblings abandoned as babies in London suburb confounds policeOpens in new window ]
It is also backed by the SDLP, whose leader, Claire Hanna, and former leader Colum Eastwood sat behind Mr Conlon as he delivered his speech.
The bill is also supported by Irish groups in the UK, such as the umbrella group Irish in Britain, as well as the London Irish Centre in Camden and the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith.
Rosa Gilbert, Irish in Britain’s policy manager, said the financial penalty caused “significant distress to survivors”.
Speaking after addressing parliament, Mr Conlon said he knew of an Irish woman in London who accepted a €10,000 payout from the Irish Government, only to find that her housing benefit would be cut. He said he wanted to combat the “stigma and shame” some women felt and is organising an event in parliament for survivors later this month with Irish in Britain.
There was recently a flurry of ads on the London Underground promoting the Irish compensation scheme. Mr Conlon said he would also speak to the Irish Government about potentially relaxing a six-month time limit for applicants in Britain to accept payouts.
