Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 134: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the transfer of properties and money from the religious congregations has been completed in the context of the indemnity agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13519/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of the indemnity agreement reached with the religious congregations on 5 June 2002 the congregations agreed to make a contribution of €128 million towards the redress scheme. This was broken down as follows: cash contribution €41.14 million; provision of counselling services €10 million; and property transfers €76.86 million.

The congregations paid the cash contribution to the State by way of an initial payment of €12,654,000 on 5 June 2002. The balance was paid in four instalments of €7,121,500 in September 2002, December 2002, February 2003 and May 2003 in accordance with the terms of section 7 of the agreement. A further sum of €10 million has been provided for expenditure by the congregations on counselling services for former residents of institutions for children.

The property contribution of the congregations is divided into two separate and distinct schedules of properties as follows: (a) properties to be transferred from the congregations to the State, State agencies or local authorities after the date of the signing of the indemnity agreement on 5 June 2002. The total value of these property transfers for the purposes of the indemnity agreement was set at €36.54 million. I can confirm that agreement in principle has been reached with the religious congregations on the transfer of 35 properties under this schedule to the amount of €38.24 million. This figure of €38.24 million includes €4.98 million in cash that was provided by the congregations in lieu of property; and (b) properties transferring from the congregations to the State, State agencies, local authorities or voluntary organisations from 11 May 1999, the date of the Taoiseach's apology to victims of child abuse. The total value of these property transfers for the purposes of the indemnity agreement was set at €40.32 million. I can confirm that transfers of 29 properties to the value of approximately €38.71 million have been agreed in principle under this schedule. This includes cash payments of €5.75 million made by the congregations in lieu of property.

The total value of properties accepted under the agreement, including cash payments made in lieu of property, amounts to approximately €76.95 million. One further site included in schedule A has been referred to an independent valuation expert in accordance with section 9 of the indemnity agreement. The final valuation of this property may require a minor adjustment in the net amount transferring under the property aspect of the agreement.

While arrangements for the legal transfer of properties are the responsibility of the individual transferees, my Department will continue to liaise with the various transferees to ensure that all properties on which agreement in principle has been reached are legally transferred.