Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 593: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the publication of the Ryan Report for a person who previously received compensation from the Residential Institutions Redress Board; if persons will receive additional compensations; if this has been decided; the action they need to take to claim same; the way the extra resources handed over by religious orders in the past years will be spent; if an update will be given; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28104/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Residential Institutions Redress Board provides a mechanism to compensate survivors without having to go through the Courts. The Board provides fair and reasonable awards to victims of institutional childhood abuse. It is wholly independent in the performance of its functions and over the last seven years has dealt with over 13,800 cases, resulting in over 13,000 awards being accepted by applicants. As the Deputy will be aware, in addition to establishing the Commission and the redress board, the Government established the National Counselling Service to assist victims cope with their experiences together with a family tracing service to assist former residents trace their families of origin and educational services for former residents and their families. The final cost of the response to residential institutional abuse is estimated to reach €1.36 billion.

The Ryan Report found a much more systemic volume of abuse in institutions than was previously known or accepted by the religious Congregations and the Government and subsequently Dáil Éireann called on the Congregations to commit to making further substantial contributions by way of reparation. In addition to the original €128 million contribution under the 2002 Indemnity Agreement, the Congregations are now offering significant additional contributions, which they have valued at €348.51 m. More detailed work and discussion with the Congregations will be required in relation to the detail of the property offers.

The Government has proposed to utilise the cash element of the Congregations' offers of contributions which is intended to amount to €110 m 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. 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. This Fund, which will be to support the needs of survivors is separate and distinct from the compensation scheme operated by the independent Residential Institutions Redress Board, which provides fair and reasonable awards to victims of institutional childhood abuse. The Statutory Fund will not provide additional compensation to former residents.

Having considered the report of the independent Panel appointed to assess statements of their affairs submitted by the Congregations and the response of the Congregations, the Government's view is that the overall costs of the response to residential institutional abuse should be shared on a 50:50 basis between the taxpayer and those responsible for the residential institutions. Assuming that the Congregations' offers of contributions are fully realised, the collective contribution of the Congregations would be €476.51 m, leaving a target of over €200 m to reach the 50% share of some €680 m. 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 position in relation to the €128 contribution under the 2002 Indemnity Agreement is that it comprises of €10 million towards the provision of counselling services. The remainder comprises of cash and property. Of the €54.4 provided in cash to date, €12.7 million is being used by the Education Finance Board which provides educational grants to former residents and their families. The remaining cash was used towards the payment of redress awards to former residents by the Residential Institutions Redress Board.