Seanad debates
Wednesday, 8 October 2003
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Statements (Resumed).
The alternative approach would be to recognise that the contribution had to be voluntary and negotiations took place. I regard a contribution of €128 million as reasonably substantial. After all the controversies concerning haemophiliacs and hepatitis C sufferers where the State was accused of being excessively legalistic and excessively concerned with finance, this is perhaps one of the first times the State has taken the opposite approach, which is basically a humanitarian approach towards the victims, and it is being criticised of wasting taxpayers' money. I do not believe the worst case scenarios. Much of the media coverage of any subject is based on the worst case scenario. One needs to take that argument with a pinch of salt. The Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science was very adamant at the committee meeting last week that the figure was €500 million or thereabouts and I accept that. The figure of €128 million is not so disproportionate.
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