Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 534: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of applications received by the Residential Institution Redress Board; the number of cases completed; the number of offers that have been made to victims; the number of those cases under appeal; the number of solicitors acting for the redress board; the amount paid to those solicitors; the number of cases where no award was made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40695/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Redress Board's primary function is to provide financial redress to persons who, as children, were abused while resident in Industrial Schools, Reformatories or other institutions that were subject to State regulation or inspection. The Board was established under the terms of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 and the legislation governing its operation is contained therein.

The closing date for receipt of applications was the 15th December 2005 by which time the Board had received 14,513 applications. The Board has received a total of 14,549 applications (including 36 late applications accepted up to 31st December 2007.

The Board has now completed the award process in the case of 12,160 applicants. Of those processed, awards have been made to 11,525 applicants, 32 cases are currently under review and 489 applicants were not entitled to an award. A further 146 applications were withdrawn by the applicants themselves.

The Board has the services of 1 Solicitor and the amount paid to that solicitor in the years 2003 to date is €1,007,311.64, which includes salary and expenses.