The funding allocated in the Estimates for 2002 for the Residential Institutions Redress Board was €9.3 million. The subhead B19 was subdivided between the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse and the redress board.
Enactment of the Residential Institutions Redress Act provided for the establishment of the Residential Institutions Redress Board which will accept applications for up to three years from the establishment day. It is incumbent on the State to honour awards made by the redress board following appeal by the review committee. Provision has been made to have this funding ringfenced.
Four members have been appointed to the board. Judge Kieran O'Connor has been appointed as chairman and he will be joined in his work by Professor Desmond Greer, Dr. Helen Cummiskey and Dr. Ruth Pilkington. Further appointments will be made to the board as required. A secretary and registrar have also been appointed and the board's legal team is being assembled. In addition, a number of administrative staff were appointed recently to assist the board with its operations. The breakdown of the level of clerical support staff is as follows: