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Sisters of Mercy will not meet with Quinn

The Sisters of Mercy have said they will not attend a meeting with Education Minister Ruairí Quinn this afternoon.

EDUCATION MINISTER RUAIRÍ Quinn was due to meet with religious congregations today about bridging the gap of an estimated €350 million in compensation to victims of abuse in residential institutions.

He invited 18 religious congregations who were implicated in the Ryan report to discuss their offers towards the bill.

However a statement on the Sisters of Mercy website states that the Sisters “declined” an invitation to the meeting.

It also said the Sisters believe:

that they have been misrepresented and demonised in recent years and that their Congregation has been portrayed in a way that seeks to undermine their voluntary service to this country and beyond.

They said that they wanted to state the Commission “did not make a recommendation that the State’s expenditure upon the commission and the redress scheme would be borne 50:50 between the State and 18 religious congregations”.

They also say that “here has never been an agreement between the State and 18 religious congregations that the costs of the Redress Scheme would be borne on a 50:50 basis”.

It has been wrongly suggested that the Congregation has disadvantaged the State in that it has failed to honour a debt. The Congregation has met and will continue to meet all of its commitments to former residents and to the State.

Sister Coirle McCarthy, the Congregational Leader, said:

In making the offer in December 2009, our first priority was the well-being of all the former residents of our industrial schools.  It is for the benefit of all former residents that we offer €20m to an independent fund together with a number of properties valued at €11.5m.

The Sisters of Mercy said their 2009 offer included properties offered to the State valued at December 2009 at €80,856,80; properties offered to the voluntary sector valued at December 2009 at €15,060,000.

The Sisters said they “regret that the Government has determined that the Statutory Fund for former residents will not benefit from the properties offered to it or even from their proceeds of sale”.

If the State does not accept these properties, five of them will be offered to local county councils and two significant properties will be sold and the proceeds will go the new National Children’s Hospital.

The Sisters say that in the last 10 years they have donated cash and property in excess of €1billion to ensure that these voluntary services continue.

Sister Coirle concluded by emphasising that “our Congregation will continue to care for those who were with us as children” and added “we take this opportunity to, again, offer our heartfelt apology to all those who were hurt and damaged in our institutions.”

Read: Will religious congregations attend key meeting with Ruairí Quinn?>

Read: Quinn to press ahead with religious orders meeting. Will they show up?>

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32 Comments
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    Mute Garrett McKeagney
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 5:07 PM

    Perhaps they shouldn’t have beaten and abused our most vulnerable. PAY UP!

    81
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    Mute Niamh Pitts
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 5:07 PM

    Sisters of NO Mercy!!!

    79
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    Mute alan mulvey
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 5:12 PM

    can we not get c.a.b on to them and take there stuff for all there crimes they did

    74
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    Mute Howard Cooley
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 6:53 PM

    I was told a long time ago by a wise old man that the problem with Ireland is that there is “to much religion and not enough Christianity”. I think he may have something there.

    47
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    Mute Jason Spratt
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 5:19 PM

    I’m not sure of the legal situation, if invitations are refused can summonses follow? The time for kid gloves is surely over.

    46
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    Mute Lisa Saputo
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 5:46 PM

    What good is property anyone? I would be looking into the money they have in foreign currency and gold.

    42
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    Mute hbenroe
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 6:12 PM

    How anyone can attend a catholic church on a Sunday or any day beats me.I was raised by catholic parents, but I consider myself more of a Christian than that generation.there may of course be the odd good person in the catholic church, but from what I see most of the people that beat a path to the alter on a Sunday I wouldn’t even label Christian

    36
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    Mute Claire Garvey
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 5:13 PM

    Wait a minute….. “the Government has determined that the Statutory Fund for former residents will not benefit from the properties offered to it or even from their proceeds of sale”. What?? Why not? What do the Government intend to do with the money or the properties? I thought the purpose of them WAS to benefit those who had been abused? Is this more money that’s just going into bailing out those who got us into our current mess?

    35
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    Mute Victoria Hall
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 6:51 PM

    Sisters of Mercy?… what a misnomer!

    34
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    Mute Gis Bayertz
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 5:36 PM

    Not a bloody surprise though is it? They’re all the same

    34
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    Mute Mike Dowling
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 5:16 PM

    Why does he want to meet an ’80 band for anyway ?

    32
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    Mute Brian Walsh
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 11:17 PM

    So lets get this straight, these “nasty little people” have been found to have commited umpteen horrible crimes against children over many years by various government inquiries, their victims are left to suffer a lifetime of horrible psychological trauma and are supposed to fend for themselves and find help where they can in a system that can’t cope. When they’re asked to contribute to supporting their victims they’re more interested in making sure all the old abusers are well taken care of in their old age, can’t have them getting cold in Winter now can we? If these were the mob we wouldn’t hesitate bringing them to court so with that in mind I say drag their sorry asses through every court in the land and take them to the cleaners.

    24
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    Mute Unitedpeople Ireland
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 11:35 PM

    Hear – Hear!!!

    8
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    Mute David Conroy
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    Jul 23rd 2011, 1:43 PM

    Doubtless we’d be met with the “gimlet eye of the canonical lawyer” at every turn. Time to remove the kid gloves alright.

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    Mute Biggins31
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 7:38 PM

    Its simple – time for the CAB and the bailiffs to have a meeting and go get them!

    21
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    Mute Joe Conway
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 10:13 PM

    When they say they have donated over €1bn in recent years I winder where that money came from in the first place?

    19
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    Mute Sean Mulroy
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 6:58 PM

    Mickey Dodgers are now Ruairi dodgers eh. They manage to sink even lower. Good grief.

    16
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    Mute Dave Boyle
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    Jul 23rd 2011, 3:15 AM

    50:50 why should it be 50:50??? Why should the government/tax payer pay 50%?? Where will the Congregation get their 50%?? From the tax payer on a Sunday morning!!! I agree with Nigel.. send them the bill end of. When it’s not paid send in the bailiffs and jail them. Then kick the papal nuncio out with a copy of the bill nailed to his ass. Sisters of Mercy, Christian Brothers… there’s nothing Christian or Merciful about any of them… sisters and brothers all over the country are in living hells because of these sick twisted scum…
    I reckon Ireland could win a war with the Holy See… we’ve got form! And we’ve taken on bigger countries in the past! They had their chance, the time for diplomacy has well passed!

    14
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    Mute Shame Of Ireland
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 6:06 PM

    We are the Shame of Ireland because the Politicians and Religious are Ashamed of us! When it is them that Should be Ashamed!

    Correspondence to TD’s Gets Ignored and the Statutory Trust Fund is set to go ahead even thought there is no direct benefit to Survivors!

    If you read “Summary of Main Provisions of the Statutory Fund” from the “Press Release from Minister for Education & Skills – 5th July 2011″

    You will find what it pays out for as stated bellow

    Functions/Provisions of the Statutory Fund

    The principal function of the Statutory Fund will be to make arrangements for the provision of approved services to support the needs of former residents and to pay grants to former residents to assist them to avail of approved services.

    Approved services will include such counselling services, psychological support services and mental health services, and such health and personal social services, educational services and housing services as the Fund may determine.

    The Fund will also promote understanding of the effects of abuse on former residents among service providers and will evaluate the effectiveness of the approved services in meeting the needs of former residents.

    The Fund can consult with former residents as it considers appropriate.

    Education Finance Board

    The Education Finance Board will be dissolved and its functions transferred to the Fund.

    The Education Fund currently take 6 month or More to pay out! Survivors in Crisis vould not be helped anyway!!

    No Money from the Fund will go to Survivors!

    Counselling Services (already funded by the H.S.E.) YES

    Education YES

    Housing Associations YES

    Survivors Groups YES

    SURVIVORS a very BIG NO!!!!

    The Education Fund Currently Pays the “Service Provider” not the Survivor!

    This is a ZERO more forward for the Benefit of Survivors directly and will only benefit those who provide Services for Survivors!

    Yet most Survivors Groups are against the Statutory Fund?? or so they say????

    Midland Survivors Services (Coventry UK) State it Clearly in their April 2011 News letter that they are awaiting for the Second half of this year Funding from the Statutory Trust Fund!

    There must be others???

    This is OUTRAGEOUS!

    They are applying to a Fund that does not Exist!!

    The Bill has not been read yet and is not Law!

    11
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    Mute Mike Dowling
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    Jul 23rd 2011, 1:05 AM

    Well written !

    2
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    Mute Robert Northall
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    Jul 24th 2011, 12:20 AM

    Sing a long You Know the Words? “What do you think of the Fund that’s meant for you and me? M-IC-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!!”

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    Mute Robert Northall
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    Jul 24th 2011, 12:26 AM

    Seriously 8 people like this comment? 8 People don’t? Is it because it is factually inaccurate what is there not to like?? Where’s the debate??

    1
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    Mute Robert Northall
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    Jul 24th 2011, 12:58 AM

    Technically there is nothing prohibiting the Religious Orders from Applying to the Statutory Trust Fund for Money for Charitable works to assist Survivors?? How weird is that??

    1
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    Mute Titus d
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    Jul 22nd 2011, 6:05 PM

    Its amazing to think that 350million euros is being spent on the actions of pedophiles and sadists raping children when the money could be spent on the economy, struggling businesses or building a future and the worst thing is these religious orders are still accepted by people as part of society #couldntmakeitup

    11
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    Mute Nigel Kenny
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    Jul 23rd 2011, 12:14 AM

    Fine, don’t go. Just send the bill and give them no choice or input.

    8
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    Mute David Conroy
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    Jul 23rd 2011, 1:44 PM

    The whole bill. Without contribution from the innocent taxpayers.

    3
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    Mute Mike Reid
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    Jul 23rd 2011, 1:07 AM

    it should be a show up or get the fuck out arrangement, seriously, these people are a fucking joke

    mercy my arse

    7
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    Mute Mike Reid
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    Jul 23rd 2011, 1:09 AM

    also that picture scares me a little

    1
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    Mute Robert Northall
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    Jul 24th 2011, 1:01 AM

    Shame of Ireland which can be found on Twitter and @ http://bit.ly/agjWv0

    2
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    Mute Mary Creighton Wong
    Favourite Mary Creighton Wong
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    May 28th 2012, 1:30 AM

    well the sisters of mercy have shown me nothing but evil and one still alive even tried to have my daughter who was in ireland on holiday hand over her child to a happily married couple ..history repeating itself ….my daughter a scouse told her where to get off in no uncertain terms .that same mercy nun followed me on to facebook ..on an account i do not use ..because of her ..she even wrote to a psychiatrist in a hospital in co mayo but the letter wsnt made known to me she said she dosent rember writing it i said selective memory loss. she said she had no part in me going to castlepollard mother and baby home yet she had maternity clothes ready for me and went together with the social worker to drop me there .i was 15 yrs old
    no mercy only evilness

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    May 28th 2012, 9:44 AM

    Hi Mary – thanks for your comment. Just to let you know, your comment isn’t anonymous as it is connected to your Facebook account. If that’s a problem, just drop me a line at aoife@thejournal.ie and it can be removed and then reposted in another form if you wish.
    Thanks a million,
    Aoife

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