Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million, pledged by the religious congregations, to support the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse. The processing of individual applications is a matter for Caranua itself and I have no role in that process.
Decisions of Caranua may be appealed to an independent Appeals Officer appointed under section 21 of the 2012 Act, and I understand that in the case referred to by the Deputy the decision of Caranua was appealed. I understand also that it is the practice of the Appeals Officers to provide reasons for their decisions to individual appellants and I am advised that the decision letter that issued in this case outlined the reasons why the appeal was not upheld.
I should point out also that a person who is affected by a decision of an Appeals Officer may appeal to the High Court on a point of law.