Written answers

Tuesday, 18 September 2018

Department of Education and Skills

Residential Institutions Redress Scheme

Photo of Declan BreathnachDeclan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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165. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to ensure that redress that is owed is paid by the Church (details supplied). [36587/18]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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My Department has responsibility for the management of the State's response to residential institutional child abuse, this includes the coordination of the engagement with religious congregations that managed many of the residential institutions involved, particularly in relation to the receipt of contributions towards the very substantial costs incurred by the State in responding to the abuse that took place.

Costs in excess of some €1.4 billion have been incurred by the State in responding to residential institutional child abuse and to date, congregations have offered to contribute some €481 million towards these costs. These offers have been made under the legally binding 2002 Indemnity Agreement and under the additional voluntary offers made by a number of congregations in 2009 in the aftermath of the publication of the Ryan Report. Contributions of cash, property and counselling services amounting to €227 million have been received from the congregations under the two rounds. My Department is continuing to pursue the completion of the outstanding offers.

A detailed summary of the current position in regard to the contributions made by religious congregations is set out in the update at the link which was provided to the Public Accounts Committee at the end of July and which is also published on my Department's website.

Responsibility for criminal investigations of abuse in any setting is a matter for An Garda Síochána.

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