State will pay out €31m to survivors of national school abuse

The ex gratia scheme was set up in 2014 after the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the State failed to protect Louise O’Keeffe, who was abused at her primary school in the 1970s. 

The State expects to pay out €31m as part of its redress obligations to survivors of sexual abuse in national schools. 

The State’s response to redress for victims of abuse in schools prior to 1992 has come under heavy criticism for being too restrictive.