Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 346: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if there is a link between the level of damages awarded by the Redress Board to individual complainants and the timing of the complaints made. [7853/08]

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 is entirely independent in the performance of its functions and the application process is confidential in accordance with the terms of the Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002.

My Department therefore has no function in the application process or in determining the level of awards to be paid to individual complainants.

I can tell you, however, that the criteria employed by the Board in determining a person's eligibility to be considered for an award, together with the criteria governing the level of awards which may be paid is published and is contained on the Board's website www.rirb.ie. Awards are determined by the Redress Board having regard to the severity of the abuse and the severity of physical and psychological injury and loss of opportunity resulting from the abuse.

Any further queries in this regard may be forwarded directly to the Board at the following address: The Residential Institutions Redress Board, Block 5, Belfield Office Park, Beech Hill Road, Clonskeagh, Dublin 4.