Details of the Government's redress scheme for women who underwent a surgical symphysiotomy have been announced. Participants will receive between €50,000 and €150,000.

There are believed to be around 200 symphysiotomy survivors in Ireland. The procedure had been discontinued in all but one hospital by the mid-1960s, however, it continued at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda until the mid-1980s.

It involved widening the pelvis to ease childbirth by dividing the cartilage of the pubic bone. However, the operation caused severe side-effects in many women, including life-long pain, incontinence, mobility problems and psychological problems.

The establishment of the ex-gratia scheme had been announced last July, but had been criticised by some survivors for a number of reasons, including the lack of independent adjudication in relation to awards made.

However announcing the details of the scheme today, the Department of Health said that former High Court Judge, Maureen Harding-Clark, has been appointed as an independent assessor to oversee the implementation of the scheme. Her role will be to determine the ‘appropriate level of award for each individual case'.

"The scheme is designed to be simple, straightforward and non-adversarial, and aims to minimise the stress for all the women concerned. Many of the women are elderly and may not want to experience the delay, publicity and financial risks that sometimes come with a court case," the department noted.

Health Minister, Leo Varadkar, had met with the three support groups representing the women in September and he insisted that their views had ‘helped us to shape this scheme'.

"We hope it will be acceptable to the majority. They specifically requested the appointment of a fully independent assessor. I am very pleased that Judge Maureen Harding Clark has since agreed to accept this position. Her experience in dealing with the Lourdes Hospital Redress Scheme will be invaluable in helping to make this current payment scheme as sympathetic and compassionate as possible," he commented.

The groups had also sought the inclusion of women who had undergone a pubiotomy (surgical separation of the public bone) and the department has confirmed that these women will be included.

The department also emphasised that women can opt out of the redress scheme ‘at any stage if they wish to pursue an action through the courts instead, up to the time of accepting their award'.

The payment scheme will begin on Monday, November 10. Further details will be advertised.

The appointment of Judge Harding Clark was welcomed by two of the support groups representing those affected, Patient Focus and SOS Ltd.

They said that a 'large number' of the women they represent want to avail of this scheme.

"We look forward to helping the women during the weeks ahead. After a long and difficult period these women will finally be able to achieve some closure and move on with their lives in peace and dignity," the groups added.

However a third group, SoS (Survivors of Symphysiotomy), insist that the scheme remains 'utterly unjust' and is forcing survivors 'to choose prematurely between legal action and redress'.

It added that the Government appears to have 'zero interest in adequately compensating members, and still less in establishing the truth about these destructive and involuntary surgeries'.