Move to force rethink on child sex abuse payouts welcomed

Children’s rights campaigners have welcomed a move by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission to try to force a Government rethink on its attitude to compensating victims of child sex abuse.

The IHREC wants the landmark European Court of Human Rights judgment in the Louise O’Keeffe case taken back to the court for clarification following concerns that the Government has deliberately taken a too narrow interpretation of it in order to avoid taking responsibility for other victims.

Chief commissioner Emily Logan says the Government has instructed the State Claims Agency to reject claims from other victims by making them meet overly restrictive criteria.