Victims’ sex abuse claims set to top 12,000 mark
The final figure is double the number of applications predicted when the Residential Institutions Redress Board scheme was launched in 2002.
The surge in claims is also expected to push up the overall cost of the scheme to at least €900 million. Legal fees are expected to cost an additional €100m.
The liability of the religious orders was fixed at €128m on foot of a controversial indemnity agreement between CORI and the Government in June 2002. That sum is in stark contrast to the State’s liability which is open-ended.
While the board upped its predicted final figure to 8,000 last year, the late surge in applications is likely to increase the time taken to deal with cases.
The board stated in its latest newsletter that it is now receiving more than 600 applications per month. At the end of last week, the total figure had topped 9,500. But a last minute surge is expected to tip it over the 12,000 mark. Former residents of industrial schools have until December 15 to apply for compensation.
Patrick Walsh, the British spokesperson for the Irish Survivors of Child Abuse (SOCA), warned that some survivors could be waiting up to three years to have their cases processed.
“That is unacceptable and will have to be corrected by the Government providing the board with additional physical and financial resources,” he said.
The board currently completes around 180 cases a month. At the moment it can take up to six months to get a hearing date but priority is given to those who are elderly or have a medical condition.
Mr Walsh also pointed out that the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, chaired by Mr Justice Sean Ryan, had whittled down the cases he wished to hear to around 600.
He said that figure was in stark contrast to the 12,000-plus complaints that would be made to the Redress Board.
Up to November 10 last, the board had processed 4,267 cases with 3,154 offers being made following settlement talks and 1,006 awards made following hearings. Five applicants have rejected their awards; there were no awards in 17 cases and awards were refused to 90 applicants.
The average value of awards to date is €76,500 and the largest was €300,000.
Meanwhile, Progressive Democrat TD Liz O’Donnell has clarified her criticisms on the special relationship between the Catholic Church and the State, saying it was not meant to be a personal slight on Bertie Ahern.
Ms O’Donnell said she did not intend any personal insult when she referred to the “cosy phone calls from All Hallows to Government Buildings”.
She added: “When I said ‘All Hallows’, I intended it as a metaphor for Church-State relations going back to de Valera’s time. So I was surprised at how he reacted to it, that he seemed to take things so personally.”
Mr Ahern, whose father worked in All Hallows and whose house is on the lands of All Hallows, said the comments could only be a reference to him.
He said he would make no apologies for being in touch with All Hallows.
The war of words followed Ms O’Donnell’s speech during a Dáil debate on the Ferns Report.
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