Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 346: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in the context of persons who were in residential institutions and who were abused and who have been granted awards by the residential redress board, there is a specific education fund available for children of such persons in order to enable them to pursue third level qualifications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5533/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of the Indemnity Agreement dated 5th June 2002 reached between the State and 18 religious congregations, there is provision for the sum of €12.7m to be used for former residents and their families to facilitate them in accessing educational services and programmes. On 17th February 2006, I formally established the Education Finance Board as a statutory body as provided for in the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Act, 2005.

The functions of the Board are: to pay grants to former residents of institutions and specific relatives to assist them in availing of certain educational programmes; to provide information in relation to educational services for which grants are payable; to determine and publish the criteria for the payment of such grants. The Board is entirely independent in the performance of its functions and consists of a Chairperson and 8 ordinary members, four of whom are former residents. You may wish to note that the Board's website, educationfinanceboard.com, contains all relevant criteria and information together with the necessary application forms for persons who may wish to avail of the fund.