Catholic Church must honour past commitments to redress victims  – Deputy Seán Crowe

Sinn Féin Education Spokesperson Seán Crowe TD has said the Religious Congregations must honour their financial commitments and make full restitution to the Residential Redress Statutory Fund Bill.

The Dublin South West Deputy was speaking in the week that the Bill was debated at Report and Final Stage in the Dáil after tabling an amendment that would have led to a 10% levy on the outstanding interest if the six month deadline was not met for payment of the full amount owed.

He said: “The cash portion of the offers from the religious congregations’ amounts to €110 million which is to be used to finance the Statutory Fund yet to date, less than a quarter ( €21.05 million) has been received.

“There is widespread political consensus that the Catholic Church should honour its past commitments and expedite the outstanding amount owed. The Amendment I tabled would penalise the Religious Orders and congregations should they fail to pay their contribution to the Statutory Fund within a 6 month period from its establishment.

“I firmly believe there needs to be a deadline for the outstanding monies owed and the religious congregations should be a penalty clause if they fail to honour their past commitments.  Their failure to do so to date, will result in further hurt and anxiety to the very people who have already experienced too much suffering in the past.”