The number of applications to the State's compensation scheme for victims of institutional abuse has now exceeded the Government's original estimates, less than a year into the scheme's operation.
According to new figures from the Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB), 2,165 people had made compensation applications by the end of last week.
Applications continue to be made at a steady rate of 50 per week.
This compares with original estimates from the Government in early 2001 that the likely number of applicants for such a scheme would not exceed 2,000.
The figure of 2,000 applicants was also used in the State's estimate of the amount it should seek from the 18 religious orders which ran the institutions in return for an indemnity.
According to the figures released by the board over the weekend, awards ranging from 10,000 to 250,000 have been made in 278 cases.
The average award made to date is €80,000 but does not include the legal costs of applicants.
The figures were contained in the latest newsletter from the board, which also discloses that it has refused 52 applications as they were "outside the board's terms of reference as laid down in the 2002 Act".
"In other words, the applications did not relate to residential institutions as defined in the Act. These applications are determined by the board immediately on receipt so that the applicant is informed at the earliest possible date that his/her application is outside the ambit of the redress scheme."
The board's newsletter also warned that applicants who were going to identify an alleged abuser should also identify the alleged perpetrator on the application form.
"The board must notify all individuals against whom abuse is alleged," according to the newsletter.
It also said that it would take a minimum of 14 weeks to process applications.
Two new members, a medical doctor and a psychiatrist, have been appointed to the board, which now numbers seven.
The RIRB is now sitting five days a week at its headquarters in Clonskeagh, Dublin. It has also carried out a number of hearings and settlements in Cork and Limerick.
It will be sitting in Galway in November and also proposes sitting for one week per month in Cork while there are sufficient applications from the region.
According to material released earlier this year under the Freedom of Information Act, officials based a minimum contribution of €127 million from the religious orders on the likely costs of the scheme arising from an expected 2,000 complainants.
Meanwhile the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee is to hold further public hearings later this month into the controversial indemnity deal agreed between the orders and the State.
It followed a report by the comptroller & auditor general that the potential exposure of the State to the scheme was up to €1 billion.
This compared with Government estimates of a maximum of €500 million.