Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 268: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of claims that have been made to date in 2006 in respect of the operation of the Residential Institutions Redress Board; the number of decisions that were made in the first instance; the number of such decisions that were referred back for review by the claimants for reconsideration by the board; the number, both numerically and as a percentage, of such cases where the original sum awarded was, upon referral back, subsequently reduced in respect of such cases that were referred back; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6204/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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While the closing date for receipt of applications to the redress board was 15 December 2005, the board has received 64 applications after this date. The board is considering the position of these applications having regard to the provisions of section 8 of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 which only allows for late applications to be processed in exceptional circumstances.

The board to date has notified decisions to 4,958 applicants. A total of 127 applicants decided to refer their case to the residential institutions review committee in accordance with the terms of the Act. In the case of 57 applications referred, the committee upheld the award offered by the redress board and varied the award in respect of the remaining 70 cases. I am conscious of the confidentiality aspect of the operation of the redress board and in particular section 28(6) of the Act, which prohibits disclosure of any information that could identify an applicant or respondent. For this reason, I am not in a position to provide the particular breakdown of figures requested by the Deputy.