Constitutional worries over religious abuse compensation

THE controversial abuse compensation deal between the Government and religious orders may have to be renegotiated because of constitutional problems.

Government Ministers are standing by the deal struck by former Education Minister Michael Woods in the final days of the old government. The deal saw the religious orders contribute just under 150 to the compensation fund for victims of abuse in residential institutions.

But the Government has no idea how much the compensation will cost in total, with estimates wildly ranging from the original €400 million to €2 billion.