The programme, A Government of Renewal, states that details of the settlements reached and payments made will be published in summary form. The precise nature of the information to be published has yet to be determined.
The settlements agreed in the equal treatment cases in which proceedings were initiated prior to the introduction of the retrospective legislation in 1992, including the FLAC cases, were subject to conditions as to confidentiality. I am advised that these conditions were included as a standard feature in all settlement agreements and in each instance, were included with the consent of both parties.
I am further advised that the confidentiality clause is expressed to be binding on all parties to the settlements in question. It is therefore binding on the State as well as on the individual plaintiffs and their solicitors. Consequently, each individual plaintiff in the proceedings, as well as the State, has the right to insist that the confidentiality clause is respected, and for that reason also, all of the details sought by the Deputy cannot be provided in the format sought.
I can say, however, that there were 1,647 women involved in the FLAC cases. Some 1,518 women have received payments under the settlement agreement, 33 had no entitlements under the 1979 Directive and the entitlements of the remainder are being clarified. A further 1,170 women have received payments under other settlement agreements.
