Group for abuse survivors must report to HSE monthly

MONTHLY expenditure and activity reports must be provided to the HSE by a group for institutional abuse survivors which was on the brink of insolvency last year.

Cork-based Right of Place, now called Right of Place/Second Chance, has been allocated €192,745 in funding for 2011 but must have formal face-to-face meetings every three months with the HSE.

Documents obtained by the Irish Examiner show that late in 2010 the HSE had to make a payment of almost €87,000 to keep the organisation solvent.

The HSE also gave €17,000, €9,000 and a further €7,337 to Right of Place to pay the Revenue Commissioners in respect of “outstanding tax debt”.

According to the HSE, which signed off on the money, it does not know why these payments had to be made and that is it a matter for Right of Place.

The organisation is attempting to put the past behind it and move on from controversy over management and funding last year.

Last November responding to a request for information by the Public Accounts Committee, the HSE said a new model of service would result in a lower cost base.

Outlining the new model it said it would provide an outreach service which will “link survivors into existing statutory services”.

A new website set up last week by the group says it has offices in the Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Limerick and Galway regions.

Services provided include one to one meetings, advocating for survivor needs, information on survivor support, counselling, bereavement support, transitional housing and education grants.

Right of Place/Second Chance wants a cash settlement to be issued to each survivor from the €110 million, which the religious orders have handed over to the state as many are dying in abject poverty.