Clerical abuse redress deal with orders never went before cabinet
The former Fianna Fáil education minister was the central figure who negotiated the abuse redress scheme, which Church authorities are now failing to repay, and has repeatedly defended its terms, which were criticised for favouring the religious groups involved.
In 2002, Dr Woods signed off on a highly controversial indemnity agreement under which 18 religious orders were due to pay hundreds of millions towards a State redress scheme for clerical abuse survivors. The deal limited religious orders’ compensation liability to €128m, despite the eventual cost to the State exceeding €1.35bn.
