Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 November 2020
109. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the status of the residential institutions redress unit; the membership of the unit; the remit of the unit; the details of all reports produced by the unit; the financial resources allocated to the unit for each year since its establishment; her plans to maintain that resource allocation of the unit into the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39004/20]
View answerThe Residential Institutions Redress Unit manages the Department’s response to initiatives for the redress of child abuse in residential institutions. The unit also co-ordinates the reports to Europe on the implementation of the European Court of Human Rights judgment in the Louise O’Keeffe case.
The unit has a staffing compliment of twelve full-time equivalent staff headed by a Principal Officer. The staffing costs are funded from the Department of Education’s salary budget and it is envisaged current staffing levels will be maintained for the foreseeable future.
The unit conducted an eligibility review to see if access to the Funds available to Caranua could be broadened. That report is available on my Department's website on https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Education-Reports/review-of-eligibility-of-persons-to-access-the-residential-institutions-statutory-fund-caranua.pdf.
The unit would also contribute to corporate publications such as my Department's annual reports.
