Vol. 540 No. 3
338 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if, further to the publication of the Residential Institutions Redress Bill, he intends to make any provision for the awarding of compensation to those who suffered abuse while in hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20659/01]
339 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of the exclusion of day-pupils from the Residential Institutions Redress Bill, he will give an undertaking to those victims who suffered serious abuse in day-schools that a separate compensation scheme will be established for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20660/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 338 and 339 together.
In deciding to establish a scheme whereby survivors of abuse can receive financial awards from public funds, the Government decided that it should be directed at those who as children were abused in institutions in which they were resident and for which the State had significant regulatory or supervisory responsibility. Section 2 of the Residential Institutions Redress Bill provides that institutions for the purposes of the Bill include industrial schools, reformatory schools, orphanages or children's homes in which children were resident and in respect of which a public body had responsibilities relating to inspection or regulation. Children in these institutions either did not have parents or were separated from them for very lengthy periods. In either case they did not have the care and protection which children in the care of their parents normally enjoy. The care and welfare of the children concerned therefore was dependent to an unusual degree on public bodies carrying out their duty to protect them. It is clear that, notwithstanding that duty, children suffered abuse. These considerations do not apply to children who were resident with their families, either while at school or who remained within the care of their families while attending hospital. The State's moral and legal duties in respect of such children were and are much different. In the circumstances it is not proposed to extend the terms of the Bill as proposed by the Deputy.
Question No. 340 answered with Question No. 335.
