Irish official says abuse compensation could exceed $1 billion

Published: 2003-10-02

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) -- A deal between the Irish government and religious orders on compensation for victims of child abuse in church-run schools has been criticized by the government's public spending watchdog. In a report released Sept. 30, John Purcell, Ireland's comptroller and auditor general, said the cost of paying compensation to abuse victims could exceed 1 billion euros (US$1.17 billion). Under the deal, religious orders agreed to pay 128 million euros (US$150 million) toward a compensation fund for survivors of abuse in exchange for an indemnity against future lawsuits. The government would pay the rest of the compensation claims. After the release of the Purcell report, opposition leader Enda Kenny of the Fine Gael party called on the government to tell religious orders that they had a moral obligation to pay more. The compensation agreement, which was never debated in the Irish parliament before being struck in January 2002, was heavily criticized by opposition politicians for being too heavy a burden on Irish taxpayers.

Copyright (c) 2003 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .