Child abuse probe 'could cost ?100m by its completion'
Added on May 18, 2005Wednesday May 18th 2005
THE Commission on Child Abuse could cost the taxpayer ?100m by the time it is due to finish its work in three years time, Education Minister Mary Hanafin has confirmed.
Ms Hanafin, who was appearing before the Dail's Education Committee yesterday, also warned that the cost could run as high as ?200m if proposals to 'fast-track' the work of the Commission are not accepted by the Oireachtas.
The Oireachtas is currently examining a Bill to amend the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000. The Commission has been set up to investigate allegations of abuse in the country's industrial schools and orphanages and produce a report.
Under the 2000 Act, the Commission is obliged to listen to allegations of abuse in full hearing from all 1,300 former residents who have lodged such allegations with it. This meant it effectively had to hold 1,300 'mini-trials'.
Ms Hanafin said that as a result of this "it was unlikely that the Commission would be in a position to publish a comprehensive report until 2011 at a possible cost of ?200m".
The amending legislation allows the Commission to consider only a selection of allegations in full hearing, meaning it should be able to complete its work by mid-2008 instead of 2011 and cost half that.
She also confirmed that the Commission, which is headed by Judge Sean Ryan, will have the power to investigate the role of the courts in the industrial school system.
This is a particular concern of the victim groups who say that the courts played a vital role in the system because many children were placed in the institutions by court order.
Patrick Walsh of Irish Survivors of Child Abuse also raised the possibility after the Committee hearings of the Commission, that the industrial school system itself was unconstitutional irrespective of whether abuse took place.
This would allow victims to claim compensation on top of that provided by the Residential Institutions Redress Board.
David Quinn
Social Affairs Correspondent
? Irish Independent