IRL : Catholic religious congregations paid 13% of redress scheme cost so far - C&AG report

The Catholic religious congregations who ran residential institutions where children were abused have paid just 13% of the costs of a redress scheme set up to help survivors, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General published by the Department of Education.

The report states that by the end of 2015 the total costs of the commission which inquired into the child abuse, and the Redress Scheme, were an estimated €1.5bn.

Minister for Education Richard Bruton has expressed disappointment with the contribution from the religious orders and said progress has actually gone into reverse.

To date the 18 religious congregations have offered the equivalent of about 23% of the overall cost. However, just 13% of the overall cost has actually been handed over.

The State gave the religious congregations an indemnity in 2002, limiting their contribution to €128m.

After the Ryan report was published the religious congregations agreed to pay more, offering cash and property valued at €353m. 

Much of the property consisted of playing fields attached to schools.

This offer was reduced to €226m in September of 2015.

However, the C&AG finds that only €85m of that €226m has been received by the State.

The report also criticises the level of legal fees paid and says lessons need to be learned about the introduction of similar compensation schemes in the future.