SPECIAL REPORT: Religious orders criticised over share of abuse pay

IRELAND
Irish Examiner

By Conor Ryan, Investigative Correspondent

Monday, October 01, 2012

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has criticised religious orders for failing to pay their share of the compensation bill for abuse victims as the total nears €1.5bn.

With internal memos showing the child abuse redress package will now cost an extra €110m, it has emerged negotiations with the religious in the past year have hit the rocks.

Internal memos show the bill for dealing with child abuse in residential institutions has risen to €1.47bn, up from €1.36bn in 2011.

However, writing in today’s Irish Examiner, Mr Quinn has admitted that taxpayers are picking up the majority of the tab.

“I believe there is a moral obligation. I believe that fairness demands such an approach,” he said.

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