Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 45: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the reason the Ryan report did not substantially address those abused when placed by the State in foster care; if he plans to commission a report into abuse in foster homes; if he will extend the State compensation scheme to give redress to those who have been abused in foster homes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47815/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse is an independent body established pursuant to the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Acts 2000 and 2005. The term "institution" was defined by the legislation to include "a school, an industrial school, a reformatory school, an orphanage, a hospital, a children's home and any other place where children are cared for other than as members of their families." Accordingly, foster care came within the scope of the definition of an institution. The Commission comprised two separate and distinct Committees which were required to report separately to the Commission as a whole. Chapter 15 of Volume 3 of the Commission's Final Report, is the final report of the work of the Confidential Committee and details the evidence heard from witnesses who reported being abused while in foster care.

The Redress Scheme was established in 2002 as an exceptional measure to address abuse in specified residential institutions and to quote the then Minister from the Second Stage Debate on the redress legislation "It is not, and was never intended to be, a panacea for every injustice committed on children". The inclusion of children abused in foster care was raised during the passage of the original legislation, however foster care settings were not included on the basis that there was no substantial evidence of widespread abuse in foster homes. Following the publication of the Ryan Report in May 2009, there were a range of demands for the redress scheme to be extended, including demands to include foster care settings. The Government considered these demands and in its statement of 15 April last indicated that it did not propose to revise the arrangements.