Orders give just €20m of €1.3bn abuse compo bill

RELIGIOUS orders have contributed €20 million in cash of the estimated €1.3 billion cost of meeting child abuse compensation claims — leaving most of the rest to be picked up by the taxpayer.

This means the Church has not contributed a cent since the Ryan Report revealed abuse almost two years ago.

Under a controversial deal struck by former education minister Michael Woods, in 2002 the Church’s liability was limited to €128m of an estimated €1.1bn compensation package. But following the publication of the Ryan Report in June 2009 the Church offered to raise its contribution to €348.5m to meet an expected rise in compensation payments.