Counting the cost of broken lives

THE offers by religious congregations to meet their half of a €1.36 billion compensation bill for victims of child sex abuse have so far fallen “well short” of what they are required to pay.

Education Minister Ruairí Quinn expressed his disappointment that only two of the 18 congregations have responded to a call last April to improve on previous contributions of €476.5 million in order to bridge a compensation shortfall of over €200m.

“Despite the state’s call for the congregations to supplement their original offers, only two out of the 18 congregations have replied positively to make up a shortfall of some €200m. One congregation has offered to give €1m towards the costs of the national children’s hospital and to refund some or all of its legal costs, while another offered to transfer a former primary school. None of the other congregations have supplemented their original offers,” he said.

The Government, as well as the Ryan Report in 2009, said the €1.36bn compensation bill should be shared on a 50:50 basis between the taxpayer and those congregations responsible for managing the institutions where the horrendous child abuse took place.

Under the 2002 Indemnity Agreement, the 18 congregations involved agreed to a contribution of €128m, comprising cash, property and counselling services.

After the 2009 publication of the Ryan Report, they proposed putting up over €100m in cash and offered to transfer property, that they valued at €235.5m, to various state agencies and voluntary organisations.

Responding to these proposals, Mr Quinn said acknowledged some progress had been made, but expressed disappointment at the offers to date.

“Of the properties offered to the state, only 12 have been identified as of potential immediate benefit to the state and these will be pursued. In fact, only a quarter of the total property offers made to date by the congregations are of current interest to the state.

“The value of these 12 properties, based on the congregations’ own valuations, is approximately €60m.”

Mr Quinn said he would ask the congregations to agree to allow the state to identify various properties and legally take possession of them. He also intends to create a legal mechanisms to ensure that title on properties can not be transferred without the prior consent of the Department of Education.

Congregations are also to be asked to transfer properties of specific interest to or currently leased by the state.

“I believe that this approach affords the congregations involved the opportunity to shoulder their share of the costs of responding to the horrendous wrongs suffered by children in their care, while at the same time, recognising the legitimate legacy of their contribution to Irish education,” said Mr Quinn.

The Government is also to proceed with a €110m trust to fund the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund to support the victims of institutional abuse.