Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 November 2004
69 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of awards made to date by the Residential Institutions Redress Board; the estimated likely cost of such awards in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30507/04]
View answerThe Residential Institutions Redress Board is an independent body established under the terms of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002. Mr. Justice Sean O'Leary, a High Court judge, is the chairperson of the redress board.
On the basis of the most recent information available from the Residential Institutions Redress Board, the board has received 4,828 applications and has made awards or offers in 2,107 of those cases. The average award is approximately €77,000. The board provides regular updates as to the number of claims received on its website, www.rirb.ie. The redress board has prepared its first annual report which covers the period 16 December 2002 to 31 December 2003. The report was laid before each of the Houses of the Oireachtas earlier this year.
My Department had estimated prior to the establishment of the redress board that the estimated cost of awards would be €508 million. The recent report from the C & AG estimated that the final outturn would be in the range of €605 million and €828 million. Until the board has completed its work it will not be possible to determine what will be the final cost.
