Religious Orders Copping Out of Abuse Compensation
October 1st, 2012 – Seán Crowe TD
Dublin South West Representative Seán Crowe TD has said it is “morally indefensible” that Religious Orders are refusing to meet their obligations and looking to “cop out” of paying up to half the compensation for victims and survivors of Residential Abuse.
Responding to reports in the media suggesting that Irish taxpayers will be asked to pay the bulk of the €1.47 billion fund allocated to provide redress and supports for survivors of residential abuse, Crowe said that many people believed that they were getting away with paying “buttons” when consideration was taken into account of the extent of the depravity and hurt they had intiated on thousands of helpless victims. A ‘shoddy’ deal was agreed with the Religious Congretations and outgoing Education Minister Michael Woods in the dying days of a previous Fianna Fail Government.
Deputy Seán Crowe said: “It is morally indefensible and unacceptable that the Religious Orders are refusing to meet their 50% share of the Compensation costs to pay for Redress for Survivors of Residential Abuse.
“The current situation can no longer continue and at the very least the Congregations must act and release the balance of the promised €110 million funding needed to pay for the Statutory Fund, so that basic supports needed to help survivors who suffered under the ‘care’ of the Religious Orders can be put in place.
“When this Legislation was debated earlier in the year in the Dáil, I put forward amendments that if accepted, would have set a date for payment by the Congregations of the money needed to pay for the services covered by the Statutory Fund and suggested substantial financial penalties be imposed should the payment deadline not be met.
“Education Minister Ruairí Quinn is right to point out the moral obligations and prior agreements of the Religious Congregations to honour their commitments but words alone are not enough.
“The Religious Orders that ran the Institutions and Care homes where so much of the abuse and cruelty was inflicted have a collective responsibility for what happened and must pay their share of Compensation for the remaining survivors of these hell holes.”
