Question on Redress Board funding

Uimhir:99

Ceist Pharlaiminte
Chun an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíoctha
To the Minister for Education and Science

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being made for the fund
for awards from the Redress Board to be drawn down from central allocation; and
if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Thomas Pringle.

For ORAL answer on Tuesday, 8th October, 2013.
Reference Number: 42178/13

Freagra
Minister Ruairí Quinn

Section 23 of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 provided for the
establishment of a Special Account which is used to pay awards made by the
Redress Board and associated legal and settlement costs. In addition to the
moneys provided by the Oireachtas, funding for this Special Account comes from
moneys contributed under the terms of the Indemnity Agreement between the State
and the contributing congregations.
No decisions have been taken with regard to savings required by my Department
in the forthcoming budget. All options have to be considered during this
process. I can however confirm that provision will continue to be made in my
Department’s Vote for 2014 to meet any costs associated with the Redress Scheme.
The Government maintains its belief that the costs of the response to
residential institutional child abuse should be shared on a 50:50 basis between
the tax payer and those responsible for managing the institutions. The
contributions offered by the congregations to date which comprise cash,
property and other elements, fall far short of what is required to meet the
costs on a 50:50 basis. I am continuing to pursue these issues with the
congregations.
Under the Indemnity Agreement €54.42 million of the overall €128 million
comprised cash contributions from the congregations. €12.7million was used to
the fund educational supports via the now dissolved Education Finance Board
while the remaining €41.72 million and the associated interest resulted in
combined lodgements of €42.259million to the Special Account to fund awards of
the Redress Board.
The Government has agreed that the subsequent cash contribution offers, of up
to €110 million will be used to fund the newly established Residential
Institutions Statutory Fund. To date some €72m, comprising contributions of
some €71 million and associated interest has been lodged to the Residential
Institutions Statutory Fund. Any contributions that may be received in excess
of the €110 million will be used towards the National Children’s Hospital.

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