Written answers

Tuesday, 10 February 2015

Department of Education and Skills

Child Abuse

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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534. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the State's legal reasoning (details supplied) behind the decision to only allow those who were abused after the date a complaint was made regarding a teacher to be entitled to compensation, leaving those abuse victims, who for whatever reason did not come forward or did so too late, without any acknowledgement by the State of what was done to them, and thereby leaving them without any entitlement to compensation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5951/15]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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In its response to the ECHR judgment, the Government agreed that out of court settlements be offered to those bringing cases of school child sexual abuse against the State where the cases come within the terms of the ECHR Decision and satisfy the Statute of Limitations. In pursuing settlements, the State Claims Agency will be considering cases of school child sexual abuse where there was a prior complaint about the teacher concerned to school authorities. The rationale for this approach is that these were the circumstances on which the European Court of Human Rights judgment was based.

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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535. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills , in view of the Government's decision before Christmas 2014 to offer a settlement to those who were abused in school (details supplied), if she will provide information on the exact number of the 135 claims that were formally discontinued, as she referred to them, through the State Claims Agency; the number of the 135 cases, following examination by the State Claims Agency, that will be eligible for settlement; if the information is not available, the length of time it will take; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5953/15]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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When announcing details of the Government decision to seek to settle certain claims of school child sexual abuse that came within the parameters of the European Court of Human Rights judgment, I noted that there was also a group of school child sexual abuse cases which had not been progressed for a number of reasons, including those which might have been discontinued after receiving letters from the State Claims Agency. The Agency has been reviewing these cases to clarify the exact position and whether they had been formally discontinued or not. I expect to be in a position to report to Government on this matter shortly at which time the Government will consider whether any measures will be taken in relation to these cases.

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