Vol. 541 No. 2
1071 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of cases lodged in the courts by victims of abuse in which his Department is cited as defendant on the expiry of the extended Statute of Limitations earlier in 2001. [21610/01]
On 20 June of this year, the final date of the closure of the extension for the Statute of Limitations, my Department held 351 files in relation to litigation arising out of abuse of children that had been initiated, and 249 files relation to such litigation which is threatened to be initiated. These cases relate to industrial and reformatory schools. The most recent figures available to my Department indicate that there were 82 cases relating to abuse in national or second level day schools. However, I understand that this number is likely to rise significantly when updated information from the Chief State Solicitor's office, which will also include further information concerning day schools, is made available. My Department expects to receive this information shortly, and I will arrange for that revised information to be forwarded to the Deputy when that exercise is completed.
