Christian Brothers to make more funds available

ONE of the country’s largest religious orders has pledged to make more funds available to help former residents of its residential institutions who were abused while in care.

The Christian Brothers, one of the 18 religious congregations which signed the controversial indemnity deal limiting their responsibility for compensating victims, said yesterday they planned to hand over assets and resources not essential to house and maintain their members and the other services they still provide.

In a statement, they said the move would involve “dramatic change” and they first needed to assess their resources and consider, in conjunction with victims groups and the Government, how best they could be used in reparation for past abuses and as an investment in child education and welfare into the future.