Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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649. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current position regarding a redress scheme for victims of historical child sexual abuse in Primary and Secondary schools; if a similar approach will be adopted for victims of abuse in Primary and Secondary Schools to that of the previous redress scheme for victims of abuse in Industrial and Reformatory schools as the Government has been in receipt of a scoping report which outlined the depraved behaviour visited upon these victims, for some considerable time. [11550/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Government has accepted the recommendation to establish a Commission of Investigation which is the principal recommendation of the Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders. The Report of the Scoping Inquiry made a number of further recommendations, including in relation to consideration of a redress scheme. A high level Inter-Departmental Group (IDG) has been convened to examine those recommendations and to consider the terms of reference for the Commission of Investigation.

The IDG is chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of Education and its membership includes high-level representation from the Department of the Taoiseach, Department of Education, Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the Department of Justice. Representatives from other Departments and agencies can also be invited to assist the work of the IDG as necessary.

This Group is considering the issues arising from the recommendations of the Report of the Scoping Inquiry and will advise on both the recommendations and the terms of reference for the Commission of Investigation. It is working in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General. The Group is due to report to the Minister for Education in the coming weeks.