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.