Ceist:
217 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will include the deaf schools in the terms of the Residential Institutional Redress Bill, 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5107/02]
Written Answers. - Residential Institutional Redress Bill, 2001.
In the course of the Second Stage debate, the question of the scope of this Bill to deal with abuse that took place outside of residential institutions, as defined in the Bill was raised. I said in that debate that this Bill deals with a particular situation, that is abuse in industrial schools, reformatories, orphanages and similar kinds of institutions. This is an issue, which was brought graphically to light by publications, documentaries and the accounts of survivors in recent years. The purpose of the Residential Institutions Redress Bill is to deal with situations where children were abused while the State was acting to a significant degree in loco parentis in relation to children removed by the State from their parents and placed out of their protection. In the case of special schools attended by children who were deaf, in some cases the children went home to their parents on weekends or for holidays which was different to the regime which existed in most of the residential institutions. On Committee Stage, I undertook to further consider the arguments raised and to report back to the House on Report Stage. Report Stage is scheduled for 20 February.