Child abuse inquiry may cost €200m

THE State inquiry into child abuse may cost a staggering €200 million and take up to 11 years to complete its work — if it continues to operate under its current remit.

A review of the Laffoy Commission’s remit, commissioned by the Education Minister Noel Dempsey, raised serious concerns that such delays in completing its work would prejudice the commission’s inquiries, facilitate legal challenges being launched and possibly prevent complaints being investigated.

It also pointed out the bulk of the costs would be paid in respect of people against whom complaints would be made.

Mr Dempsey last night announced that, after studying the findings of the review group, he was launching a second review into the remit of the inquiry.

Its purpose is to examine whether the original terms of the commission could be amended to achieve the original intentions within a more reasonable time frame and in a more cost-effective manner.

Colm O’Gorman of the child abuse victim group, One in Four, last night welcomed the minister’s decision. He said the commission, well-intentioned as it was, was unworkable in its current format and the delays that victims had experienced in achieving meaningful justice was “a scandal”. “As it’s currently constituted, the Laffoy Commission could take 11 years to complete its work,” he said.

“Many victims may not survive that length of time. A review would prevent that happening and make commission more effective.

Describing the potential costs as “staggering”, Mr O’Gorman said that in four years of Laffoy, the majority of people had not achieved justice. He said any reform should be primarily intended to make the commission allow people to tell their stories, to have their experiences acknowledged and to achieve justice in a meaningful way.

The recommendations of the review group have not been released by the department. However, the minister said they would be reflected in draft legislation being prepared to amend the remit of the commission. What emerges from the second review will also be incorporated in the Bill.

Mr Dempsey said: “There is a need for [the commission] to complete its work within a reasonable time. Justice delayed is justice denied and this is all the more important where you are dealing with people’s lives which have been blighted by past failures of the State.

“We are dealing with tragic circumstances, where people simply want an opportunity to tell of their experiences and, in some cases, to inquire into abuse in the institution they were resident in.”