Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 March 2012
196 Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason he is proceeding with the establishment of the statutory trust fund despite the objection of many survivor group leaders and individuals, and upon the recommendation of which groups or organisations he is proceeding. [16519/12]
View answerI had a very constructive meeting with groups representing survivors of residential institutional abuse on 22nd July last, when we discussed the Government's approach to the proposed Statutory Fund to support the needs of victims of residential institutional abuse. The Government is proceeding with the drafting of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Bill on the basis of the General Scheme prepared by my Department, which followed extensive consultations with survivors of residential abuse and the groups which support them, together with a public consultation process. The General Scheme of the Bill and a Report on the Consultation Process are available on my Department's website as is a copy of the minutes of the meeting of 22 July.
I am aware that some former residents advocated a simple distribution of the available money rather than the establishment of the Statutory Fund. However, as I outlined when I published the legislative proposals, I believe that the Fund should target resources at services to support former residents' needs. The General Scheme provides for a wide range of services to be approved for the Fund including counselling, psychological support services and mental health services, health and personal social services, educational services and housing services.
I am committed to establishing the proposed Statutory Fund for survivors of institutional abuse. Work on the drafting of the Bill is currently being finalised and I expect to be in a position to publish it very shortly.
