Residential Institutions Redress Scheme Eligibility

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 April 2015

Tuesday, 21 April 2015

Ceisteanna (604)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

604. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that it is appropriate in the case of the rejection of an application for funds from Caranua that the only recourse for a person who may have suffered horrendous abuse in a residential institution is to an appeals officer, whose decisions are entirely opaque since the appeals officer is not subject to oversight by the Ombudsman, or the expensive and adversarial route of a High Court appeal, a route described by her predecessor as long and often traumatic; and if this will form part of her promised review. [15703/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

Decisions of Caranua may be appealed to the independent Appeals Officer appointed under section 21 of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act, 2012. A person who is affected by the Appeals Officer's decision may appeal to the High Court on a point of law. The Appeals Officer has determined 45 decisions to date and I expect to receive his first report in relation to the performance of his functions shortly. This report will then be laid before each House of the Oireachtas in accordance with the provisions of the 2012 Act. Caranua comes within the scope of the Ombudsman Acts 1980 to 2012 and its administrative actions are subject to review by the Ombudsman. I have no plans to include these arrangements within the review of eligibility which I propose to consider later this year.