Call to involve Pope Francis in clerical abuse redress

The Government says it will continue to assert “moral pressure” on religious orders to provide more money to cover the costs of redress to survivors of residential abuse, with one survivors’ group claiming Pope Francis should become involved.

Following the publication of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report into the cost of the Ryan Report into child abuse in 2009 and redress scheme for victims, ministers renewed calls for the orders to share a 50/50 split of the huge costs.

Yesterday, Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Paschal Donohoe said the indemnity agreement struck with the religious by government 16 years ago is “very frustrating” and Education and Skills Minister Richard Bruton said “our hands are tied” when it came to options such as seeking title deeds to schools.