Ryan report saves €15m in legal bills

THE publication of the Ryan report on institutional child abuse has led to savings of €15.4 million on legal bills last year.

The Commission on Child Abuse chaired by Mr Justice Seán Ryan published its landmark report in May 2009 but Department of Education accounts show that its total spend last year came to just €3.5m out of an allocation of almost €19m.

The variation was explained by the fact that the commission was unable to finalise as many legal bills of third parties because of the resources diverted to finalising and releasing the report, as well as dealing with its aftermath.