Closure on abuse - Orders must promptly pay up
These figures were released by the Department of Education as a result of a government ordered review.
The review was undertaken in the wake of the Ryan Report, which forced the Government to reconsider the levels of liability of the religious orders, which had been capped at €128m. On the basis of the review, the orders raised their offer to €476m.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn is seeking to have the overall contribution raised to €680m, which would be half of the state’s €1.3 billion compensation bill.
In the light of the kind of money the religious orders have been making out of property sales, it is certainly not unreasonable to ask that they pay half of the compensation bill.
The money should be handed over as soon as possible so that there can be closure on the abuse issue for the most important people — those who were abused, as well as the vast majority of the members of those orders.
They were good, idealistic people who voluntarily gave their service to humanity, but they were shamefully betrayed not only by the abusers in their midst but also by those in authority who were more concerned with covering up the wrongdoing than protecting the innocent — both the children and the majority of their own fellow members.
The vast majority in the religious orders did tremendous work, and this should never be forgotten, or obscured by the misbehaviour of the few.
But that misbehaviour has been allowed to cloud their marvellous contribution.
It is a disservice to them, as well as the victims of abuse, that this issue is not dealt with properly for once and for all. The money is there, it should he handed over as soon as possible.
The Government, for its part, should ensure the necessary legislation is in place to ensure that the payment provides closure of the whole sorry saga.
No one is suggesting that the crimes should be forgotten.
But it is time to move on, and that can only be done if those in authority in the religious orders assume their share of the responsibility.
This is not only in the interest of those deserving compensation, in view of the shameful ways in which they were abused, but it is also about the idealistic members of those orders who did such sterling work. They deserve closure too.
Their good is being superseded by the actions of a minority, and by the failure of those in authority to live up to their responsibilities.
The valuable work has been clouded, which is as unfair in many instances as the abuse itself.
The money to resolve the issue is there and this should be handed over as quickly as possible in the interest of the survivors of abuse, as well as the new victims — the honest members of those orders, and the innocent public already overburdened with having to pay half of the compensation.
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