Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 October 2013
99. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to his recent comments that there is no scope for more education cuts, and that he does not know where he can make savings, the efforts his Department has made to force the religious institutions to meet their obligations to compensate the survivors of residential abuse. [42209/13]
View answer124. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being made for the fund for awards from the redress board to be drawn down from central allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42178/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 124 together.
Section 23 of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 provided for the establishment of a Special Account which is used to pay awards made by the Redress Board and associated legal and settlement costs.
In addition to the moneys provided by the Oireachtas, funding for this Special Account comes from moneys contributed under the terms of the Indemnity Agreement between the State and the contributing congregations.No decisions have been taken with regard to savings required by my Department in the forthcoming budget. All options have to be considered during this process.
I can however confirm that provision will continue to be made in my Department's Vote for 2014 to meet any costs associated with the Redress Scheme.The Government maintains its belief that the costs of the response to residential institutional child abuse should be shared on a 50:50 basis between the tax payer and those responsible for managing the institutions.
The contributions offered by the congregations to date which comprise cash, property and other elements, fall far short of what is required to meet the costs on a 50:50 basis. I am continuing to pursue these issues with the congregations.
Under the Indemnity Agreement €54.42 million of the overall €128 million comprised cash contributions from the congregations. €12.7million was used to the fund educational supports via the now dissolved Education Finance Board while the remaining €41.72 million and the associated interest resulted in combined lodgements of €42.259million to the Special Account to fund awards of the Redress Board.The Government has agreed that the subsequent cash contribution offers, of up to €110 million will be used to fund the newly established Residential Institutions Statutory Fund. To date some €72m, comprising contributions of some €71 million and associated interest has been lodged to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund. Any contributions that may be received in excess of the €110 million will be used towards the National Children's Hospital.
