Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 239: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of inquiries in respect of any tribunal of inquiry, commission of inquiry or investigation for which she or her Department have or have had responsibility since 1997; the name of each inquiry; the terms of reference of each inquiry; the cost of each inquiry including the cost to date where an inquiry has not been concluded; and the dates of each inquiry including the projected date of conclusion where an inquiry has not been concluded. [32423/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse was established in 1999 and was subsequently put on a statutory basis under the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act, 2000. The terms of reference of the Commission are set out in the 2000 Act as amended by the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Act, 2005. The purpose of the Commission is to investigate child abuse in institutions in the State, to enable persons who have suffered such abuse to give evidence to committees of the Commission, to provide for the preparation and publication of a report containing the results of the Commission's investigation and any recommendations it considers appropriate for the prevention of child abuse. A sum of approximately €34 million has been expended from Exchequer funds on the Commission inquiry up to the end of September 2006, which covers the Commission's pay and administrative costs, legal costs and the Department's legal fees. The Government made an order in May 2005 extending the term of the Commission up to 23 May 2008. The Commission has indicated that it will conclude its inquiry before that date. There have been no other inquiries of the type referred to by the Deputy in the period since 1997.