Survivors of Ireland's notorious homes for unwed mothers could lose benefits in the U.K.
Libberton is the daughter of Philomena Lee, a 92-year-old Irish woman whose story of being forcibly separated from her son brought global attention to Ireland's dark history of mother and baby homes: Catholic institutions for unmarried mothers and their children.
Ireland is now offering financial compensation to the survivors of those homes, which are notorious for their long history of abuse, neglect, unpaid labour and forced adoptions.
But for the thousands of survivors who now reside in the United Kingdom — Lee included — accepting that money means they could lose out on much needed government benefits.
"It kind of nullifies the point of the compensation," U.K. Labour MP Liam Conlon told As It Happens host Nil Köksal.
Conlon has introduced a bill to prevent that from happening, called Philomena's Law. Libberton joined him on CBC Radio to support the proposed legislation named after her mother.
"I think it is a great thing that he's trying to do for the Irish people here in this country," she said.
What happened to Philomena Lee and other survivors?
Between 1922 and 1998, tens of thousands of unmarried Irish mothers and pregnant women and girls were placed in the mostly nun-run institutions, often against their will.
In 2021, Ireland published its final report from a public inquiry into the homes. It contained accounts from roughly 56,000 women and 57,000 children who were placed or born in the institutions, detailing horrific accounts of abuse, neglect, child deaths, forced labour and family separation.
Of all the tragic tales to emerge from the scandal, Lee's is one of the best known. It was told in the 2009 book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee by journalist Martin Sixsmith, then adapted into the 2013 film Philomena, starring Judi Dench.
Pregnant at 18, Lee was sent to the Sean Ross Abbey in Roscrea, where she was forced to do unpaid labour. It continued until she was 22, when her three-year-old son Anthony was suddenly adopted by a family in the U.S. without her consent.
"All I could see was his face peering out the back of the [car] window and that was the last I ever saw him," Lee recounted during a 2014 interview with then- As It Happens host Carol Off. "I have never forgotten that moment in my whole life and I don't suppose I ever will."
Why survivors could lose benefits
In the U.K., the government runs a system of social benefits for those in need, including pension credits, housing benefits and social care for people who are ill or disabled.
Those benefits are means-tested, which means eligibility is contingent on a person's income and savings.
So an influx of compensation from the Irish government — anywhere from €5,000 to €125,000 ($7,800 to $195,000) — would impact that formula, potentially putting some benefits out of survivors' reach.
"She's getting older and frailer, so she's probably going to have to get carers at some point," Libberton said of her mother. "So the compensation money, she'd have to pay for carers out of that."
WATCH | 2021 report finds thousands of infants died in mother and baby homes:
9,000 babies died in Ireland's mother and baby homes
4 years ago
Duration 2:05
A disturbing report into Ireland's mother and baby homes, where unwed mothers were sent to give birth and forced to give their babies up for adoption, says along with other indignities, 9,000 babies died in the care of the 18 homes. The Irish Catholic Church, which ran the homes, has apologized and the prime minister is also expected to apologize this week.
Conlon's bill would exempt the Irish compensation package from the means-tested benefits formula. And it has broad support. More than 100 MPs from all parties (out of the U.K. lower house's 650 MPs) have signed a letter of support endorsing the bill.
"It shows that we're building a consensus," Conlon said. "This shouldn't be about party politics. This should be something that everyone can unite behind."
Is the U.K. responsible for an Irish scandal?
During a debate on the bill Tuesday, Labour's Andrew Western, the parliamentary under-secretary of state for work and pensions, said the government is already "carefully considering whether to legislate to disregard payment from Ireland's mother and baby institutions payment scheme" — though he could not provide a timeline.
Western noted that similar exemptions for means-tested benefits have been carved out before for people who received compensation for, among other things, the U.K.'s tainted blood scandal, the Windrush generation immigrant scandal and the 2021 Grenfell Tower fires.
Still, he said, this case could prove more complicated because the compensation comes from outside the country.
"What all the examples I have given have in common is that the circumstances that gave rise to that compensation payment either occurred in this country or involved events for which the U.K. government have direct responsibility or liability," Western said.
"We must not forget that income-related benefits are paid for through general taxation, so disregarding a compensation payment comes at a cost to the taxpayer."
Conlon admits that carving out an exception for foreign money would, indeed, be "unprecedented."
"Everything's unprecedented until it happens, and this needs to happen, and I'm going to keep campaigning until it does happen," he said.
Libberton, meanwhile, says her mother is proud to support Conlon's efforts.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
6 days ago
- CBC
#TheMoment an ancient spearhead was unearthed on a family farm
Laura Vellenga tells The National about the moment her family discovered pieces of a rare ancient spearhead on their farm that could date back to 10,000 BC.
CTV News
15-07-2025
- CTV News
Roman-era mosaic panel with erotic theme that was stolen during World War II returns to Pompeii
Restorers set on display a Roman mosaic depicting a pair of lovers, which was repatriated from Germany, in Pompeii archeological park, Italy, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) POMPEII, Italy — A mosaic panel on travertine slabs, depicting an erotic theme from the Roman era, was returned to the archeological park of Pompeii on Tuesday, after being stolen by a Nazi German captain during World War II. The artwork was repatriated from Germany through diplomatic channels, arranged by the Italian Consulate in Stuttgart, Germany, after having been returned from the heirs of the last owner, a deceased German citizen. The owner had received the mosaic as a gift from a Wehrmacht captain, assigned to the military supply chain in Italy during the war. The mosaic — dating between mid- to last century B.C. and the first century — is considered a work of 'extraordinary cultural interest,' experts said. 'It is the moment when the theme of domestic love becomes an artistic subject,' said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii and co-author of an essay dedicated to the returned work. 'While the Hellenistic period, from the fourth to the first century B.C., exulted the passion of mythological and heroic figures, now we see a new theme.' The heirs of the mosaic's last owner in Germany contacted the Carabinieri unit in Rome that's dedicated to protecting cultural heritage, which was in charge of the investigation, asking for information on how to return the mosaic to the Italian state. Authorities carried out the necessary checks to establish its authenticity and provenance, and then worked to repatriate the mosaic in September 2023. The collaboration with the Archaeological Park of Pompeii was also key, as it made it possible to trace it to near the Mount Vesuvius volcano, despite the scarcity of data on the original context of its discovery, the Carabinieri said. The panel was then assigned to the Archaeological Park of Pompeii where, suitably catalogued, it will be protected and available for educational and research purposes. 'Today's return is like healing an open wound,' Zuchtriegel said, adding that the mosaic allows to reconstruct the story of that period, the first century AD, before Pompeii was destroyed by the Vesuvius eruption in AD 79. The park's director also highlighted how the return by the heirs of its owner signals an important change in 'mentality,' as 'the sense of possession (of stolen art) becomes a heavy burden.' 'We see that often in the many letters we receive from people who may have stolen just a stone, to bring home a piece of Pompeii,' Zuchtriegel said. He recalled the so-called 'Pompeii curse,' which according to a popular superstition hits whoever steals artifacts in Pompeii. The world-known legend suggests that those who steal finds from the ancient city of Pompeii will experience bad luck or misfortune. That has been fuelled over the years by several tourists who return stolen items, claiming they brought them bad luck and caused tragic events. ___ Zampano reported from Rome. Giada Zampano And Andrea Rosa, The Associated Press
CTV News
14-07-2025
- CTV News
King Charles' annual swan census begins on the River Thames
Swan uppers hold mute swans during the ancient tradition of Swan Upping, the annual census of the mute swan population on the River Thames in London, Monday, July 14, 2025.(AP Photo/Thomas Krych) LONDON — Scarlet uniforms flashed against the riverbank. Wooden skiffs glided in formation. A young swan, gently lifted from the water, was measured, inspected and released. The annual five-day census of swans belonging to King Charles III – known as Swan Upping -- began Monday on the River Thames to assess their health. One of the British monarch's less-known titles is Seigneur of the Swans — Lord of the Swans — and according to ancient lore, he or she owns all members of the mute swan species found in Britain's open waters. Every year, a team of carefully selected oarsmen, known as Swan Uppers, are tasked with finding the swans on a stretch of the Thames. When a family is spotted, they shout, 'All up!' and the boats quickly surround the birds, marking them and checking for signs of disease or injury. 'It gives us an indication of what's going on throughout the country,' said David Barber, who wears a scarlet jacket and a white swan feather in his cap and bears the title of King's Swan Marker. 'It's a tradition, but I think it's serving a very useful purpose as well.' Barber has been leading the event for more than 30 years. He is accompanied by a vet and oarsmen dressed in three colours: red for the king, white for the Worshipful Company of Vintners and blue stripes for the Worshipful Company of Dyers. The last two are medieval London trade guilds that were granted ownership of some Thames swans in the 15th century. The census tradition dates to the 12th century, when swans were considered an important food for royal banquets and feasts. While swans are now legally protected from hunting, they face threats from disease, pollution, vandalism and cruelty, Barber said. Their numbers have declined over the last two years, primarily due to outbreaks of avian flu across Britain, he said, adding that only 86 young swans were found during last year's Swan Upping, which was 45% fewer than the year before that. But Barber appeared positive at the end of the event's first day, with a total of 16 young swans recorded. The census continues until Friday, traveling from Sunbury, on the outskirts of London, to Abingdon, 80 miles (130 kilometres) upstream. Lydia Doye, The Associated Press
