Row demeaning to those who suffered abuse in institutions

Let me begin by congratulating Conor Ryan for his excellent piece (Oct 1) on highlighting the difficulties between the Government and the religious orders over the payment of a 50/50 share of redress to people abused in industrial institutions.

However, there are some very important points to be made, and these highlight some misconceptions around this unseemly row.

* There is no further monetary redress for people who were abused in institutional care.

* This row is about the Government and the religious orders sharing the cost of redress, which has already been paid out!

* A very small part of this row concerns the additional Statutory Institutions Fund (€110m).

It frustrates me a great deal at the rumbling on of this row, because it is demeaning to those of us who were so horrendously abused in these institutions.

In our frontline work on behalf of over five and a half thousand people who made contact with our offices last year, and who now live in considerable difficulty, (as adults,) the reality of that abuse, and its consequences on families, is lost in this continuing row over who should pay what.

The people who seek our help are sidelined, and left to suffer in abject poverty, social isolation, and are marginalised by all of the States agencies dealing in housing, health, welfare and statutory care.

We say to the religious orders — for God’s sake, pay up.

And, to Minister Quinn, we say — stop trying to shift the problem of years of State and religious abuse to one of good guy/bad guy.

Engage in a meaningful dialogue at managing and finding solutions to the many difficulties now being experienced by those of us whose lives as children, and now as adults, have been blighted by the acts of abuse.

Michael Walsh

Chairman Right of Place Second Chance

Lower Glanmire Road

Cork