A panel set up by the government to review the finances of Catholic congregations has challenged the spending practices of several of the state’s major religious orders.The panel, which is headed by Frank Daly, the former chairman of the Revenue Commissioners, has passed its review of the assets of the 18 religious orders to education minister Batt O’Keeffe.
He is expected to present it to the cabinet next week.
The panel has issued draft reports to several of the religious orders, instructing them to clarify significant elements of their projected spending in future years.
They include spending on the future care and welfare of ageing members of their congregations, the maintenance of premises and the provision of existing services to the community.
However, well -placed sources said the orders had made a ‘‘robust defence’’ of all their projected spending as part of the review into their assets.
O’Keeffe will also present a separate report to cabinet on the offers made by the orders to a new trust which will be established for the redress of survivors of abuse in Church-run residential institutions.
The total value of the amounts offered to the new trust is expected to exceed €360 million.
About a quarter of the total amount is in cash and the remainder is in property. The largest offerings are from the Sisters of Mercy and the Christian Brothers.
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