Religious orders must be compelled by the government to financially contribute to the €800 million redress scheme for survivors of mother and baby homes, according to Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly.
Deputy Farrelly, who is the party’s spokesperson on children and equality, said:
“It is astonishing to learn today that not one cent has been handed over by the religious orders complicit in the inhumane treatment and systematic abuse of innocent women and children in these institutions over the course of many decades.
“Initial government negotiations with religious orders began back in 2021 but came to nothing, leading to the appointment of expert negotiator Sheila Nunan in May 2023 – who was tasked with securing a best and final offer within six-months.
“However, almost two years later, her final report to Equality Minister Norma Foley reveals that only one out of seven Catholic Church bodies made a serious cash offer towards the redress scheme for survivors, while the Church of Ireland has flatly refused to contribute.
“This is a further slap in the face for the tens of thousands of women and children who were incarcerated in mother and baby homes.
“On top of the suffering they endured, in recent years they have had to contend with a seriously flawed Commission of Investigation report and an inadequate redress scheme that excluded 24,000 survivors, including those who spent less than six months in a mother and baby home as a child.
“Clearly, the State’s softly-softly approach has not worked and, as always, the religious orders will need to be dragged kicking and screaming to the negotiating table.
“Given their past form with previous redress schemes, we know that these orders would much prefer to pay their armies of lawyers than the women and children they tortured and abused.
“We have had report after report documenting the crimes of the Church – not just in mother and baby homes, but in religious-run schools.
“When is the State finally going to flex some legal muscle when it comes to these religious orders?
“Why are these orders not being raided by gardaí and why are their assets not being seized?
“The Taoiseach gave a disappointing response when questioned on this issue in the Dáil today by my party colleague Cian O’Callaghan. His commitment to merely review Sheila Nunan’s report does not inspire confidence that the government has any intention of getting tough on religious orders.
“Instead of being held accountable for its abuse of women and children, the Church has been running rings around successive governments for years. What will it take for the State to finally act and go after these orders with more than a begging bowl?”
April 2, 2025