Joan Burton backs religious orders inquiry

A bank inquiry-style Oireachtas investigation is needed to “get to the bottom” of why 18 religious orders have failed to pay hundreds of millions of euro to abuse victims who were meant to benefit from a multi-billion State redress scheme.

Labour’s education spokeswoman and former Tánaiste, Joan Burton, urged the action after the mother and baby homes report publication yesterday and before the State body overseeing the repayments appears before the Dáil’s public accounts committee on the issue tomorrow.

In a five-page formal letter to education committee chair and Fianna Fáil TD Fiona O’Loughlin, Ms Burton said in light of recent revelations over the lack of funds paid over the Oireachtas must now examine the situation.

Last month, the Government became embroiled in a row after an independent Comptroller and Auditor General report found that just 13% of the money religious orders were meant to contribute to the redress scheme has been paid. The report said , by the end of 2015, the redress scheme had cost the State about €1.5bn.

However, despite religious orders being responsible for 23% of this cost, just 13% of the money had been handed over, with religious groups claiming the 2002 deal means they are indemnified from paying costs above €128m.

Ms Burton said that the Oireachtas must open an investigation into the exact circumstances of the 2002 deal, which was drawn up by former Fianna Fáil minister and devout Catholic, Michael Woods. It did not go to cabinet before it was signed off.

In the letter Ms Burton said there is a need for a bank inquiry-style investigation to “get to the bottom” of what happened, adding in a media briefing that this should include what safeguards Mr Woods gave to religious orders signing up to the deal: “Now would be an appropriate time to have a look at what happened, what happened in terms of how that deal was done.

"No one has ever claimed the State does not have a responsibility, the fact though is that responsibility is shared with the religious congregations.

“We had, for instance, a couple of years ago a relatively successful Dáil inquiry in terms of what happened with the banks. As a society and parliament we’re entitled to know how was this indemnity created, who signed off on it.”

Meanwhile, Cara Nua — the State body which oversees the abuse victims repayments system — is due to appear before the Dáil’s public accounts committee tomorrow over the failure of religious orders to hand over the funds.