Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I cannot accept this unnecessary amendment. The framework under which awards are made by the redress board is based on the report published in January 2002 by the independent compensation advisory committee, chaired by Seán Ryan SC, Towards Redress and Recovery, which advised on the appropriate levels of compensation for injuries relating to childhood abuse. Having reviewed international precedents, the committee concluded the best guidance as regards the amount of awards was to be obtained from within the State by reference to the level of awards made by the Irish courts for pain, suffering and the loss of amenities arising from serious personal injuries.

The committee devised a two-stage process for the board to follow in determining any redress award. First, the board assesses the weight to be attached to the different elements that go to make up the experiences of victims of abuse. The weightings produced an overall assessment which the board reviews to ensure it is reasonable in all the circumstances for the particular applicant involved.

Independent legal advice, through the redress board, has always been available to applicants. Up to 97% have chosen to avail of this independent advice. Some 75.2% of the 13,720 awards were made following settlements, while a further 18.8% were made in the aftermath of hearings. The remaining 3% were made following reviews by the residential institutions review committee under the independent appeals mechanism provided for in the 2002 Act. A tiny number of applicants - approximately 13 - have rejected their awards to date. In the light of the information I have just provided, I cannot accept the amendment.

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