Irish redress board gets more than 14,500 claims from 26 countries

Published: 2006-07-25

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) -- Ireland's Residential Institutions Redress Board has received more than 14,500 claims for compensation from people who say they suffered physical abuse or neglect while residing in industrial schools, reformatories, orphanages and other institutions. Most of these institutions were managed by Catholic religious orders, but because they were subject to state regulation and inspection, the Irish government admitted liability and established the board as a means by which survivors of abuse or neglect could seek and gain compensation without having to go to court and undergo cross-examination. According to the board's annual report for 2005, published in mid-July, more than a third of last year's applications for compensation were received in the final two weeks before the Dec. 15 deadline. The report said applications for compensation were received from former institutional residents now living in 26 different countries across the world.

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