Vol. 576 No. 5
272 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of awards, the average award and the total value of awards by the Residential Institutions Redress Board on an monthly basis since it commenced its work; the total number of awards, the average award and the total value of awards to date; the number of applications received on a weekly basis; the total received to date in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29880/03]
The Residential Institutions Redress Board is an independent body established under the terms of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002. Section 28 of the Act prohibits the release of any information in respect of individual awards, thus protecting the confidentiality of both applicants and the board. However, I am aware from its website, www.rirb.ie, that the board continues to receive applications at a rate of 50 per week and that a total of 2,165 applications had been received by it up to 24 October 2003. Furthermore, up to that date the board had completed the process in 330 cases, 212 offers had been accepted following settlement talks and 66 awards had been made following hearings. The awards made by the board ranged in value from €10,000 to €250,000. The average sum awarded was €80,000. The board is now preparing its first annual report and copies of that report will be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.
