Actor Siobhán McSweeney has called on the British government to implement legislation that would give survivors of mother-and-baby homes, now living in the UK, access to Irish Government compensation.
It is estimated that around 13,000 people living in the UK are mother-and-baby home survivors, however many risk losing their means-tested benefits if they avail of compensation under the Irish Mother and Baby Institution payments scheme.
The proposed bill is called Philomena's Law, after the mother and baby home survivor Philomena Lee, whose story about her son being forcibly adopted was chronicled in an Oscar nominated film.
Labour MP Liam Conlon, who introduced the legislation to the House of Commons, said that if the British government were to implement this legislation, it would be the first time the UK would make such a change for compensation from a foreign government.
Mr Conlan said the campaign has attracted support from all Westminster parties with the exception of Reform UK.
He said that are many ways to introduce the bill but it needs political will.
He said it was his personal ambition that it could be passed by spring next year.
A disregard has been implemented in Northern Ireland, to ensure that people there do not lose their benefits.
Only 737 people of the UK have applied for the payment, and it's believed that the impact on benefits payment is a significant factor contributing to the low uptake.
Ms McSweeney was speaking to the Labour Party conference which began today in Liverpool.
Earlier, Prime Minister and Labour leader Keir Starmer pleaded with Labour to give him space to lead the party in the "fight of our lives" against Nigel Farage's Reform UK.
The prime minister acknowledged the public’s frustration with the time taken to deliver the change people voted for in last year’s landslide general election win.
But he insisted he can turn the situation around and called on Labour to end the "introspection" and "navel-gazing" as speculation mounted about his position.
In an interview on BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg as Labour’s conference began in Liverpool, Mr Starmer said there is "a lot of hard work to do" for his administration to deliver the change promised as he secured the election victory last year.
The scale of the challenge facing Mr Starmer has been underlined by a poll indicating Mr Farage could be on course for Downing Street, with Labour reduced to just 90 seats.
The slump in both Labour’s poll ratings and Mr Starmer’s personal approval has fuelled leadership speculation, with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham suggesting he has been privately urged by MPs to challenge the Prime Minister.
Mr Starmer said he will be "judged at the next election" on whether he has improved living standards, the NHS and security.
"I’ll be judged at the end of that five years, and quite right too," he said.
"But I just need the space to get on and do what we need to do, to do those three things above all else, but also-– in a world which is more volatile than any of us have known for a very long time - to ensure that the United Kingdom is safe and secure.
"We have got the fight of our lives ahead of us, because we’ve got to take on Reform, we’ve got to beat them.
Labour must change climate of fear, says Burnham
Mr Burnham hit out at a "climate of fear" in Labour as he called for a "debate on our direction" on the first day of the party's conference in Liverpool.
The Greater Manchester mayor was greeted with multiple rounds of applause as he criticised the Labour leadership's handling of dissent, attacking a situation where party members were "suspended for liking a tweet by another political party" or "a Member of Parliament loses the whip for trying to protect disability benefits".
He said: "One thing I am worried about, and I think we do need to debate at this conference in my view, is how can you have an open debate about all of those things if there's too much of a climate of fear within our party and the way the party is being run."
The build-up to Labour's annual conference has been dominated by questions about Mr Starmer's future and whether Mr Burnham could seek to topple him as party leader.
But speaking to a conference fringe event on electoral reform, he insisted he was there "to support the Government" and wanted the Prime Minister to succeed.
Mr Burnham said: "I've been accused of all things in the last week, as you can probably see.
"I've done nothing more than launch a debate."
A poll of nearly 20,000 people and modelling by More In Common suggested Reform UK leader Nigel Farage could enter 10 Downing Street with a majority of 96, with Labour reduced to just 90 seats and the Tories pushed into fourth place at Westminster behind the Liberal Democrats.
However, Mr Starmer hopes to use his party conference to unveil a series of policies, including promises for the construction of new towns, with the aim of turning the tide for both Labour and his premiership.
Ahead of the conference, Mr Starmer announced plans to introduce mandatory ID cards, insisting that it will help reduce irregular migration to the UK.
However, the policy has been strongly criticised by opposition parties.
At a fringe event later this evening, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald will also criticise the proposal.
Ms McDonald is expected to tell attendees that the policy is "misguided, unacceptable and clearly ludicrous".
The Sinn Féin leader will also call on both the British and Irish Governments to prepare for a border poll in Ireland by the end of the decade.
"People must be consulted, and the two Governments must now set out proposals for delivering legal, fair and decisive referenda and a negotiated timeframe by the end of the decade", Ms McDonald is expected to say.
The British government has already stated that this is not a priority.
The overall focus of this year's conference will be on Prime Minister Keir Starmer's efforts to reassert his authority and mandate within a party that is growing increasingly sceptical over his leadership.
Additional reporting PA
