Cowen to ‘place onus’ on orders to disclose true wealth

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen will initially rely on the religious orders to be truthful about their wealth when it comes to discussions about how much extra they should pay to help compensate abuse victims.

In the Dáil yesterday, the opposition demanded that an independent audit be carried out of the resources of the 18 orders involved to ensure they pay an adequate amount.

Both Fine Gael and Labour urged Mr Cowen to commission the audit so that a true picture of the orders’ wealth is determined.