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EDUCATION MINISTER RUAIRÍ Quinn has said he is “disappointed” by how little money religious congregations are willing to put forward for redress for residential institutional child abuse.
The Government plans to address the contributions towards the Response to Redress by the 18 religious congregations, which is in the region of €1.36 billion.
It will establish a Residential Institutions Statutory fund to support victims of residential institutional abuse, which will be funded by the cash portion of the money offered by the congregation, €110 million.
Former residents – 13,000 of them in all – who have received money from the Residential Institutions Redress Board will be eligible to apply for support from the fund.
The Redress Board will also be wound-up this year.
A memorial for the victims of institutional abuse will be created, as was recommended in the Ryan report.
The Government believes the cost of the redress should be halved between taxpayer and those who ran the institutions where children were abuse.
Quinn said that only a quarter of the property offered to the state by the congregations was of interest to the state and the value of these 12 properties only came to €60 million.
He called once more for the religious congregations to augment their original contribution of €348.5 million to meet half of the redress costs and said he has written to them seeking a meeting.
Despite the State’s call for the congregations to supplement their original offers, only two out of the 18 congregations have replied positively to make up a shortfall of some €200 million. One congregation has offered to give €1 million towards the costs of the National Children’s Hospital and to refund some or all of its legal costs, while another offered to transfer a former primary school. None of the other congregations have supplemented their original offers.
In April, Quinn called on the orders to consider handing over school infrastructure to contribute towards the money they owe.
Minister Quinn said that with Government approval he proposes to seek a legal mechanism that would mean the titles to school infrastructure properties would be transferred to the state.
He is also asking congregations to transfer their properties that are currently rented by the state and properties that are identified as being of specific interest to the State.
He commented:
I recognise that there are complex legal issues to be addressed to realise the transfer of school infrastructure. Nevertheless I believe that this approach affords the congregations involved the opportunity to shoulder their share of the costs of responding to the horrendous wrongs suffered by children in their care, while at the same time, recognising the legitimate legacy of their contribution to Irish education.
The management of other institutions within the redress scheme have also been asked to make a contribution to the costs and their potential to transfer school infrastructure will be explored.
The minister will meet with survivors of abuse and representatives from religious congregations about these measures.
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“disappointed” ?
I think we’ve moved beyond disappointed.
Easy answer, tax the religious congregations wealth, force them to sell schools to the state.
Actually we do worse than not taxing their wealth – gifts and bequests made to further the cause of religion benefit from tax breaks. You couldn’t make this stuff up.
The Catholic Church should be made illegal in my opinion, in the USA they have had to pay out billions because the US government doesn’t put up with their crap.
Why is there no tax on religious sects???? They provide no benefit to the state whatsoever, in fact quite the opposite .i.e. child abuse, female and homosexual discrimination, war (Catholic v Protestant). If this government where any use they would simply impose a 99% tax on ALL religious sects in Ireland. Sick to death of religion fucking up our country and not acknowledging that they have done wrong or paying for their evils.
Forget the Irish catholic church. The Vatican state should be sold! How can one of the richest states which is owned by the biggest cartel be allowed to exist! Selling off even a portion of this would solve a lot of problems. Wishful thinking I know, but think about it. A whole independent state owned and run by a religion? Absolutely criminal. Must be like a paedo Disney land!
I read that the Vatican is back in profit this year after a bit of a rough spell with those pesky abuse victims. Can we stop limiting redress now?
They’re not willing to pay? So what, just make them pay!
Why is the State getting involved in what should be a civil action between the orders and the victims anyway?
Where are all the holy joes now who were moaning about the f**kin painting??? They all seem to be gone very quiet! God must forgive people who commit torture against children and paedophiles, whilst not forgiving artists. Weird ole morals the fella in the sky has no???
Your dissppointment will do tremendous work to solve the problem Mr Quinn!
The Religious Orders have contributed tremendously to Irish Society over the years. A great wrong has been committed by individuals of these orders and recompense must be made wholeheartedly .
I agree wholeheartedly with your latter point.
I am convinced that abuse spread far beyond the church. Why did the state turn a blind eye so often? Why were children who spoke out ignored so often?
Doesn’t add up.
now you hit the nail on the head, i had 12 socialworkers none of them asked me once if i was happy??????????
LOOK WHY ARE YOU DISAPPOINTED OR SUPRISED, THOSE SCHOOLS WOULD NEVER EXCISTED IF ANYONE CARED BACK THEN, GUILT DOES NOT HELP OR EMPOWER US, WE SAW FIRST HAND HOE RELIGON CAN BE USED TO INSTIL FEAR, I SAY THE WORLD WOULD BE LESS COMPLICATED IF PEOPLE DIDNT USE RELIGON AS A WEAPON, I SURVIVED, I DONT BLAME GOD, I BLAME THE ANGENCIES FOR HANDING OVER OUR CARE TO THE CHURCH,YET ANOTHER HAND WASHING EXERCISE BUT AT OUR PERIL!!!!!!!!
No one is blaming GOD. They are blaming an institution who brainwashed this country to the point where they got away with shit like this because people either didn’t believe or were too afraid to speak up.
dont make excuses, thats how this started, you sound v angry yyyyyyyyyyy? i shuffled the hand i got dont waste your time being angry, i saw too much anger growing up, yes i do ask y but the state gagged us
I believe in God or a higher force. I do, but I certainly do not believe that the Church today can call itself a Christian org. or claim that it lives by what Christ preached. I think that it is a large business at this stage, and I have no doubt that in their private contemplation that an awful lot of bishops and cardinals do not believe in God, nor ever did. They are a mockery of belief at this stage, have been for a long time, probably at least a 1000 years.
The state is certainly is massively culpable in how it abdicated care for these women and children and that is a blot on this state, one of many blots.
Religion is always a side show to money and power when it comes to war. Even in Islam, the most warlike religion in history, looting and booty and female slaves were assigned to the soldiers by the Koran
The church should have to pay 100% of it not 50% they did this they should pay. Also ALL schools should be taken
Off the church full stop.
The religious orders only buggered the kids. Fianna Fail and co buggered everything that moved. Now we are being buggered by the germans and french for fun.
Ruair
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