Religious orders owe clerical abuse survivors $657 million

MOLLY MULDOON,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Tuesday, December 28, 2010, 7:45 AM

Updated Tuesday, December 28, 2010, 8:04 AM

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Dublin agencies have pleaded with the Irish Government to delay the release of a new child abuse report

Ryan Report in to child abuse

Religious orders in Ireland still owe the State more than €500m ($657 million) arising from their agreement to compensate thousands of people who were abused in their childhood while living n state care.

Initially the 18 congregations involved pledged a total of €680million ($893million) in cash and property which would cover half the cost of the settlement for victims. It has emerged that only €123million ($161 million) has been paid thus far.

In the past there were two separate financial agreements between the State and religious orders in Ireland, the first in 2002 for €128million ($168 million) and the second in 2009 for €552million ($725 million).

Despite the initial agreed amount, the total pay out from the 2002 agreement amounted to around €1.2billion ($1.5 billion).

The Government then renegotiated the 2009 settlement following the revelations of the Ryan Report which detailed child abuse in religious state-run institutions.

Through the 2009 deal religious orders were due to contribute €349million ($458 million) in cash and property, however to date only €20m ($26 million) has been handed over and no property has been transferred.

Speaking about the figures, Labour Education spokesman Ruairi Quinn said the public would be disappointed by the slow pace of payments.

"I hope that this does not represent an attempt by the religious congregations to renege on the agreement.

"The Government must now insist the pace of payments and transfers is accelerated, particularly given the horrendous economic problems we are facing," he told the Irish Independent.

The Ryan Report revealed details of rampant child sex abuse and beatings by both nuns and priests over almost a 40-year period in educational institutions throughout Ireland.

The Government set up the Residential Institutions Redress Board to deal with and process compensation claims from victims. To date it has processed more than 14,000 cases.

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esatdigiwank | Dec 29, 2010, 06:30 AM EST

fck the church and their ilk of political cronies/ patrons

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cillowen | Dec 28, 2010, 09:58 PM EST

another hit on joe-schmoos - the church, the banker sharks. properties owned by the church are going for a song these days - ending up with the tribe who hates RCs and their borrowed reject.

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sirpeter | Dec 28, 2010, 02:47 PM EST

Portia777...The Catholic Church is not a Democracy,it's a Theocratic Government.I'm afraid it is their money to control.

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STUMPTOWN | Dec 28, 2010, 09:39 AM EST

The administration of the RCC has done more damage to the RCC than the abusers by the SILENCE OF THE TRUTH TO PROTECT THE IMAGE over the many years.Thoes in Ireland that looked the other way and do not want to hear of it are also part of the abuse of the children problem. But the bottom line is that the Irish law must be fully enforced on all that violated the law by abuse and or cover up of the crimes. Then the abused children must bring law suits for full damages against all abusers and thoes that cover up the crimes. Do you thing that the RCC has to much clout in the Irish courts and Irish goverment? The one that brought the truth to light in Ireland has not been rewarded and is the type of leader that is needed in the RCC.

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Portia777 | Dec 28, 2010, 09:10 AM EST

Considering the Vatican is THE WEALTHIEST STATE on Earth, the men of "god" have no excuse. All the money and wealth they have in their possession was either given by members of the Catholic church or stolen from those they christianised along the way over 2,000 years. It really is not their money to control, as we did not democratically select the pope. only the male hierarchy selected him.

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