Taoiseach holds first meeting with abuse victims
Mr Cowen reiterated an apology on behalf of the state and told them all citizens shared responsibility for a “failure to intervene, detect your pain or to come to your rescue”. Afterwards, Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe said it had been an opportunity for victims to outline their case in advance of more substantive discussions at a later date. He said it would inform the Taoiseach when he meets the respective congregations today to begin renegotiating a revised compensation scheme.
“We will indicate quite clearly the congregations should make a far more substantial contribution [to the redress package], on the basis that it was felt that on the last occasion that abuse was isolated when it is now evident from the Ryan Commission report the abuse was endemic,” he said.
