Irish Examiner view: State has dismal record on historical abuse

Best way for the Government to illustrate its sincerity is to take the kind of action that makes it easy for victims to claim compensation

Louise O'Keeffe who was the victim of sexual abuse pictured outside Dunderrow National School, Kinsale, Co Cork in 2014. The Government on Wednesday approved a revised redress scheme for victims of sexual abuse in schools. File picture: Dan Linehan

While approval on Wednesday of a revised redress scheme for victims of sexual abuse in schools is welcome, its late and partial nature highlights — yet again — the State’s dismal record in acknowledging and compensating for historical abuses.

Campaigner Louise O’Keeffe said the reopening of a revised ex gratia scheme was a step forward, but the Government had to be “dragged to this point, kicking and screaming”. This revision was forced on the Government after a retired High Court judge found the initial scheme, first opened in July 2015, to be unfair. That scheme had been forced on the Government after Ms O’Keeffe took a successful case to the European Court of Human Rights, which ruled, in 2014, that the State had an obligation to protect her from the sexual abuse she suffered in primary school.