Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 September 2009
1232 Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will introduce an amendment to the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002, to allow for an application to be continued by a parent or siblings of the deceased. [30970/09]
View answerThe Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002, currently allows for the children or spouse of a former resident to continue with an application to Board where the applicant dies after making the application but before a determination is made by the Board. There is no provision to allow any other family member, such as parents or siblings, to continue with the application in such circumstances.
The primary focus of the Redress Scheme was the provision of financial redress to persons who had suffered abuse while resident in certain institutions. As with any such scheme,of necessity there must be restrictions and, while the Government makes an effort to have such schemes as inclusive as possible, this must be balanced with the financial exposure of the taxpayers of the country. In the case of the Redress Board, the Government, in allowing spouses and children to proceed with the applications was attempting to strike this balance. In the circumstances, I therefore have no plans to amend the legislation for the purpose referred to by the Deputy.
