Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 235: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding survivor groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16840/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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My Office has corresponded previously with the person concerned.

The position in relation to the proposed Statutory Fund is that last July, I announced that the Government was proceeding with legislation to provide for the establishment of a Statutory Fund to support the needs of victims of residential institutional abuse, as endorsed by Dáil Éireann in the aftermath of the publication of the Ryan Report in 2009. The legislative proposals followed extensive consultations with survivors of residential abuse and the groups which support them, together with a public consultation process. In this context, the report on the consultation process and the General Scheme of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Bill were published on my Department's website.

Some former residents advocated a simple distribution of the available money rather than the establishment of the Statutory Fund. However, as I outlined when I published the legislative proposals, I believe that the Fund should target resources at services to support former residents' needs. The General Scheme outlines the range of services proposed.

I had a very constructive meeting with groups representing survivors of residential institutional abuse on 22nd July last, when we discussed the Government's approach to the proposed Statutory Fund. The minutes of this meeting are also available on my Department's website.

Work on the drafting of the Bill is currently being finalised and I expect to be in a position to publish it very shortly.