Dan Neville
Question:121 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress made by the Residential Institutions Redress Board; and the reason for serious delays of the board in dealing with cases (details supplied). [22758/02]
Written Answers. - Residential Institutions Redress Board.
The Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002, provides for the establishment of the Residential Institutions Redress Board. Four members have been appointed to the board to date: the chairperson, Judge Kieran O'Connor, Dr. Helen Cummiskey, Dr. Ruth Pilkington and Professor Desmond Greer. Further appointments to the board will be made as required. Office accommodation has been secured for the board at Belfield Office Park, Clonskeagh, Dublin 4. A secretary and registrar have been appointed to the board and administrative and legal teams are being assembled.
As the Deputy is aware it is important that the procedures and practices laid down by this board should be as sensitive and user friendly as possible. With this in mind, the board has taken the time to consult a number of interested parties, including a number of solicitors, prior to the completion of the application form and a guide to the application procedure. The board has now set a provisional date of 2 December 2002 for formal establishment and I assure the Deputy that my Department is providing every possible assistance to the board to achieve this target.