Vol. 546 No. 3
355 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in the context of the Residential Institutions Redress Bill, 2001, he will reconsider the criminal status of the residents in these institutions, particularly where these residents committed no crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31363/01]
The Committee Stage of the debate on the Residential Institutions Redress Bill, 2001, will commence on Thursday next. During that debate I expect we will have a detailed discussion on this and other issues. At this stage I will say that I have considerable sympathy for the viewpoint underlying the Deputy's Question. However, preliminary inquiries suggest that people who were sent to the institutions concerned for reasons other than as a criminal sanction do not suffer the status of having been convicted of criminal acts. However, I am having further inquiries made as to the precise status in criminal law of the people concerned and will return to the matter again in the forthcoming Committee Stage debate.
