Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 160: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos 106 and 107 of 27 April 2010, the subject matter of her meeting with the representatives of Catholic religious orders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18788/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach and relevant Ministers, including myself, met with representatives of the religious Congregations that were party to the 2002 Indemnity Agreement, on 15th April. The context of the meeting was their responses to the call for further substantial contributions following the publication of the Ryan Report and the Report of the Independent Panel appointed by the Government to report on the adequacy of the Congregations' statements of resources as a basis for assessing their resources. A Government Statement was issued following the meeting and the Report of the Panel together with the Congregations' individual responses were published on my Department's website.

At the meeting, the Taoiseach advised that the Government's view was that it would be a fair and reasonable outcome in all the circumstances for the State and those responsible for the residential institutions, to meet the final costs of responding to residential institutional abuse, which are estimated to reach some €1.36bn, on a 50:50 basis.

The Congregations are now offering significant additional contributions, which they have valued at €348.51m. While more detailed work and discussion is necessary with the Congregations in relation to the detail of their property offers, assuming these contributions are fully realised, the Congregations' collective contributions to date, when account is taken of the original €128 million contribution under the 2002 Indemnity Agreement, amount to €476.51m. This leaves a target of over €200 million to reach the 50% share of the overall projected costs, of some €680m. The Government has requested that additional contributions be provided to the greatest degree possible in cash as a contribution to the planned National Children's Hospital. The Government also announced its proposal to utilise the cash element of the Congregations' current offers of contributions, which will amount to some €110 million over the next few years, to establish a Statutory Fund, in keeping with the all party Motion passed by Dáil Éireann, supporting the proposal for a Trust for the support of victims and to other education and welfare purposes.

Officials are engaging with each of the Congregations in relation to their current offers and how the objective of a 50:50 sharing of the overall costs will be achieved. Following consultation with the Congregations and the former residents as to the exact nature of the fund, how it will operate and the uses to which it will be put, the arrangements for the Statutory Fund will be considered by the Government.