John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 290: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of claims that have been awarded by the redress board; the average amount of each award; the number of remaining claims; when she expects to have these finalised; if any awards were rejected; and if so, the grounds for same. [43042/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Residential Institutions Redress Board was established under statute in 2002 to provide financial redress to victims of child abuse in residential institutions in order to assist them in their recovery and enhance the quality of the remainder of their lives.

The Board received a total of 14,541 applications by the 15th December 2005, the final date for receipt of applications. Up to the 8th December 2006 the Board had completed the process in 7,168 cases. 5,256 awards have been made following settlement talks and 1,567 awards have been made following hearings. 5 applicants have rejected their awards. Information in relation to why an individual rejected an award is not available to my Department due to the confidential nature of the redress process. 345 applications were withdrawn, refused or resulted in no award.

The average value of awards to date is €71,000, the largest award being €300,000.

Currently, some 7,373 cases remain to be considered by the Board. The original term of office of the Board was for a period of three years up to December 2005. I have extended that period to December 2007 and will be advised by the Board whether it will be necessary to provide a further extension at that time.