Written answers

Wednesday, 8 December 2010

Department of Education and Science

Residential Institutions Redress Scheme

8:00 am

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 8: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills with regard to the 18 religious teaching orders involved in the Residential Institutions Redress Board, if she will provide in terms of monetary value or property value in the case of properties, both the total sums pledged to the State and the sums outstanding or awaiting to be transferred to the State's accounts as of 1 December 2010 under the following headings, the 2002 contribution of €128 million, the €111 million cash transfer proposed in 2009, the €235 million property transfer proposed in 2009 and the outstanding €200 million contribution to ensure the €680 million target is reached in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46633/10]

Photo of Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In relation to the €128m contribution by the eighteen Congregations under the 2002 Indemnity Agreement, the completion of legal arrangements in the case of 26 properties, valued at €25,880,465, remain outstanding, although the physical transfers of these properties have taken place. In addition, a potential shortfall of €160,000 has been projected between the value of properties to be transferred and the total amounts due under the Agreement. However, this is subject to change if good and marketable title cannot be realised on certain properties and the final shortfall or surplus will not be known until all properties are completed under the terms of the Indemnity Agreement. In response to the call for further substantial contributions following publication of the Ryan Report, the Congregations offered additional contributions, which they have valued at €348.51m. These contributions comprise some €111m cash to be provided over a number of years (including €4m towards the provision of counselling and therapeutic services); €2m by way of a waiver of rent and €235.51m in proposed property transfers to various State bodies and voluntary organisations. As was acknowledged at the time, the offers involved complex property proposals which would require detailed discussions with the Congregations to enable the State to adopt a definitive position in relation to them.

As the Deputy will be aware, having considered the report of the independent Panel appointed to assess statements of their affairs submitted by the Congregations and the responses of the Congregations, the Government outlined its view 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 €476.51m (including contributions made under the 2002 Indemnity Agreement), leaving a target of over €200m to reach the 50% share 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.

My Department, as lead Department handling these matters, has been liaising with the Congregations and the various State bodies to determine the potential use of the various property offers and their acceptability to the State. Meetings have taken place with all the Congregations at which the potential for them to augment their offers has been discussed. My Department will be reporting to Government shortly in relation to this matter. The Government is proposing to use €110m of the offers of contributions to be made by the religious Congregations over the next few years to establish a Statutory Fund. Following a wide ranging consultation process, my Department expects to report to Government shortly on the matter and will be submitting a Scheme of a Bill to provide for the Statutory Fund. To date €20.6m has been received in contributions towards the proposed Statutory Fund. These contributions have been deposited in an interest bearing account in the Central Bank of Ireland pending the establishment of the Statutory Fund. The attached table summarises the position as requested by the Deputy.

Contributions by Religious Congregations towards the costs of Redress

Sums PledgedSums RealisedSums Outstanding
€m€m€m
2002 Indemnity Agreement
Cash - original28.4428.44
- adjustment13.2813.28
Property - original76.8637.5426.04
-adjustment(13.28)
Cash for Education Fund12.712.7
Counselling and Support Services1010
Total128101.9626.04
Additional Contributions Offered 2009
Cash11320.692.4
Property (as valued by Congregations)235.51235.51
Total348.5120.6327.91
Overall Total Contribution476.51122.56353.95
An additional contribution of €203.49m is required to meet the target contribution of €680m.

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