Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 September 2011
35 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will give assurances that the statutory trust fund will not be used to replicate existing services that are in place to deal with persons seeking assistance on housing, welfare, and other social issues. [25096/11]
View answerThe proposals contained in the General Scheme of the proposed Residential Institutions Statutory Fund, which has been published on my Department's website, have been drawn up following extensive consultation with survivors of residential institutional abuse and the groups which support them, together with a public consultation process. The Government has decided that the Fund should target resources at services to support survivors' needs and as drafted the General Scheme provides for approved services to include, counselling, psychological support services and mental health services together with such health and personal social services, educational services and housing services as the Fund may determine. Further services can be prescribed as appropriate.
It is intended that the services supported by the Fund will be complementary to survivors' statutory entitlements. The Fund will work closely with public authorities so as to ensure that former residents can access publicly available services.
