THE TAOISEACH Brian Cowen told victims of institutional child abuse that the state intends keeping two-thirds of the extra €348.5 million in redress that it has just secured from religious orders.

Survivors of clerical abuse today expressed mixed reactions to Pope Benedict’s much-anticipated pastoral letter.

A Vatican meeting between Irish bishops and Pope Benedict XVI gets under way today with the past handling of child abuse scandals on the agenda.

Survivors of clerical abuse tonight demanded leadership and accountability from Pope Benedict as bishops prepared for a major Vatican summit over the devastating scandals.

Ireland's Catholics were tonight urged to send a Christmas message to the Pope demanding he take action over the country’s child abuse scandal.

AN independent person acting as an impartial arbiter is set to be appointed to help negotiations between survivors of institutional abuse and the bishops.

THE hierarchy who were quick to condemn ordinary mortals as sinners have finally been forced to admit grievous wrong doing by many of their clergy, Irish Survivors of Child Abuse (SOCA) said yesterday.

Survivors of clerical abuse demanded tonight that senior clergy and gardaí who allowed known paedophile priests to prey on defenceless children be brought to justice.

Senior Catholic clerics are to consider increasing compensation for survivors of abuse in Church-run institutions, it emerged today.

The Sisters of Charity are set to formally apologise today to the victims of child abuse in religious-run State institutions.

An eerie silence fell over Dublin today as more than 5,000 men, women and children weaved through the city in solidarity with the victims of abuse in church-run institutions.

Organisers of a silent demonstration in memory of victims of clerical abuse in church-run institutions will leave children’s shoes piled at the Dáil railings following the march.

A former student of Pope Benedict today branded clerics who ran abusive institutions as the “dregs of society”.

SURVIVORS of institutional child abuse held their first meeting with Taoiseach Brian Cowen last night in an attempt to strike a new atonement deal.

GROUPS representing child abuse victims have called on the Government to revisit “every” compensation case with a new expert advisory board.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen is to hold talks with victims' groups and religious orders next week following the publication of the Ryan Report on Child Abuse.

THE showdown between Taoiseach Brian Cowen and the 18 religious orders which signed the controversial 2002 child abuse indemnity deal is to take place next Thursday — a day after he meets survivors’ groups to hear their demands for an appropriate response from both Church and state.

VICTIMS of institutional child abuse yesterday led the chorus of condemnation and anger over the findings of the report by the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, on what was described as a “shameful day for Ireland”.

The Survivors of Child Abuse support group have called for a review of legislation regarding convicted paedophiles.

Victims of child abuse have delivered a letter of protest this morning to the commission inquiring into their experiences.

Victims of child abuse are due to deliver a letter of protest this morning to the commission inquiring into their experiences.

Victims of child abuse are due to mount a protest this morning outside the commission inquiring into their experiences.

Niall Murray and John Breslin talk to former St Joseph’s students who believe Robert Howard could have been abused.

PEOPLE who were abused in institutions needed to hear the State say it was sorry because the State had let them down, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said yesterday.

The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has told the Child Abuse Commission that the treatment of children in Irish industrial schools was unjustified.

The role the courts played in placing children in institutions will be examined in a major probe, it was revealed today.

THE Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse wants to reverse its policy on naming individual perpetrators.

A 57-year-old man on a hunger strike outside the Dáil warned today he will die on the street unless the Government listens to his protest.

THE woman who received a public apology from Cardinal Desmond Connell said she felt no joy upon hearing of his resignation as Archbishop of Dublin.

The Child Abuse Commission is seriously flawed, encouraging people who have not been abused to seek compensation and accuse innocent people, it was claimed today.

EDUCATION Minister Noel Dempsey faces further criticism from victim support groups after he ruled out transferring responsibility for the Child Abuse Commission from his department.

Survivors of abuse at State and Religious institutions have called for the responsibility for the Child Abuse Commission to be taken away from the Department of Education.

HALF of Irish people believe the Catholic Church has been permanently damaged by its response to complaints of clerical child sex abuse

ANGRY Christian Brothers have claimed they will not get a fair hearing at the Child Abuse Commission after the High Court threw out the order’s challenge to the probe.

THE appointment of senior counsel Sean Ryan as Justice Mary Laffoy’s replacement to chair the child abuse inquiry has received a mixed reaction from victim’s groups.

SEMINARS are to be held in the United States to track down potentially thousands of American-based Irish people who may be eligible for compensation and other benefits as victims of abuse in orphanages and other State institutions.

WHATEVER response the Government issues to the Laffoy letter following tomorrow’s Cabinet meeting, it is unlikely to satisfy all or even most of the parties affected by the judge’s resignation.

The Survivors of Child Abuse in Ireland have given a cautions welcome to comments made by the Dublin’s next Archbishop.

AS many as 1,500 victims of institutional abuse are preparing to flood the High Court with compensation claims in a last ditch effort to get justice, a lobby group for survivors claims.

FRESH safeguards are planned by the Catholic Church to ensure procedures for the protection of children from sex abuse come up to national standards and are not restricted by canon law.

SURVIVORS of institutional abuse have threatened legal action if an independent trust is not set up to administer a multi-million euro education fund for victims and their families.

The Survivors of Child Abuse group has accused the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, of trying to discourage people who were abused in residential institutions from seeking compensation.

MORE than €34m has been handed over to the Government by the religious orders in the seven months since the signing of a controversial deal to compensate victims of institutional abuse, it has emerged.

A BUSINESSMAN who claims he was sexually abused by a cleric is seeking a High Court injunction to freeze the assets of the Church.