Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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552. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the redress payments to victims of historical abuse are expected to be paid out; the timelines or procedures in place to ensure timely and fair distribution of these payments; the steps being taken to address any delays or barriers that may impact access by victims to compensation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23240/25]

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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553. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she can provide an update on the expected timeline for the completion and full operationalisation of the redress scheme for victims of historical abuse; the key milestones or deadlines that have been set; the steps being taken to ensure that the scheme is accessible, fair and inclusive for all survivors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23241/25]

Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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554. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the scoping inquiry into restorative justice and entitlements for historical abuse survivors is expected to conclude; the criteria or standards that will be used to determine the scope of entitlements; the way in which the findings of this inquiry will inform the development of restorative justice programmes that are accessible to all survivors without arbitrary or discriminatory pre-conditions, covering all schools whether run by religious orders or lay teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23242/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 552 to 554, inclusive, together.

The Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders recommended the establishment of a Commission of Investigation as its principal recommendation and this has been accepted by Government.

Whilst the Scoping Inquiry considered restorative justice approaches to historical child sexual abuse, including through its extensive Survivor Engagement process, it did not recommend that such an approach be adopted, and noted that ‘there was relatively little support among survivors for a restorative justice scheme as a response to the revelation of sexual abuse in schools’. Instead, its principal recommendation was for a Commission of Investigation, reflecting the wishes of survivors as expressed in the Survivor Engagement process.

The Report of the Scoping Inquiry made a number of further recommendations, including that the Government give consideration to establishing a redress scheme for survivors of historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders and that the Government approach the relevant religious orders about contributing to a redress scheme. A high-level Inter-Departmental Group (IDG) was convened to examine those recommendations and to consider the terms of reference for the Commission of Investigation, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General.

The IDG, chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of Education, 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.

The IDG has been tasked with advising on both the recommendations of the Scoping Inquiry, including the recommendation in relation to redress, and the terms of reference for the Commission of Investigation for my consideration, following which I intend to bring a Memorandum to Government with proposed next steps. It is anticipated that this will take place in the coming weeks.