Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 27 Feb 2003

Vol. 562 No. 3

Written Answers - Residential Institutions Redress Board.

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

21 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will report on the work to date of the Residential Institutions Redress Board; the number of applications submitted to date; and the likely timeframe within which hearing dates will be allocated for such applicants. [5742/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

The Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 was signed into law by the President on 10 April 2002. The purpose of the Act is to set up a framework to enable victims to apply for compensation. The Act provides for the establishment of the Residential Institutions Redress Board to administer a scheme that will enable victims of institutional abuse to make an application for compensation.

The provisions of the Act allow the board to make awards based on a lower threshold of proof than is required in taking a case through the courts. An applicant is expected to provide proof of their identity, that he or she was resident in an institution, that he or she was injured while so resident and that the injury is consistent with any abuse that is alleged to have occurred while so resident.

The Residential Institutions Redress Board was formally established on 16 December 2002. The board is chaired by Judge Sean O'Leary, Circuit Court and has four ordinary members, namely, Professor Desmond Greer, Dr. Helen Cummiskey, Dr. Ruth Pilkington and Mr. Richard O'Connell. The Residential Institutions Redress Board's offices are located in Belfield Office Park, Clonskeagh, Dublin 4.

The Residential Institutions Redress Board is independent of my Department and I am not therefore in a position to indicate the number of applications received by it to date or when the board will begin its first hearings. I am aware that the board has undertaken an advertising campaign informing possible applicants that application forms and a guide to the application process are available from its offices in Clonskeagh.