Woods defends indemnity deal with religious orders

Former education minister Michael Woods has again defended the controversial indemnity deal he negotiated with the religious orders at the centre of the child abuse scandal.

Under the deal, the Government agreed to indemnify the religious orders against compensation claims in exchange for €128m in cash and property.

This figure is around 10% of the estimated total cost of compensation awards to the victims of abuse in religious-run state institutions.

Speaking during the Dáil debate on the Ryan Report today, Mr Woods insisted that the Government was only acting in the best interests of the victims.