Protestant institutions not held to account

Reading your special report by Conor Ryan (Oct 1), it is amazing how all of the Irish media and reporters have covered the fact that the Catholic Church and its religious orders have mostly reneged on the deal agreed with Dr Michael Woods, the then Minister of Education, regarding compensation to victims of abuse suffered in Catholic institutions.

While this fact is reported, as survivors of abuse in Protestant institutions, we are unable to understand why the Protestant churches have not been held to the same comparable account when it comes to putting up property and money as compensation for victims who they are responsible for; why should Protestant victims be treated any differently?

For those Catholic religious orders who have contributed, (even though a long way short), we can understand that they cannot be very happy when they realise that while they have contributed financially, other religious orders have not come up with as much as a penny of compensation, as the Protestant churches have failed to do.

Why should Protestant victims be treated any differently by the State, and its civil servants? Why does the Irish media not seek to get the same justice for the Protestant minority. Are we not people too?

Derek Leinster

Chairperson Bethany Survivors Group

UK