PoliticsAnalysis

Mother and baby home redress scheme: The effort to get church bodies to contribute

To date only one of seven Catholic orders involved in negotiations – the Bon Secours sisters – has stated publicly that it will contribute to the redress scheme for survivors

Bessborough Centre, Blackrock, Co Cork is a former mother and baby home, operated by the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Photograph: Provision

Arthur Beesley's face
Arthur Beesley
Wed Dec 27 2023 - 06:00

The redress scheme for mother and baby home survivors will cost the State some €800 million, a huge sum. Although the Government is adamant church bodies involved in homes should make reparations, not one euro has yet been received. Talks have dragged on for years with assorted congregations, but there is no sign of a breakthrough.

When Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman addressed the Dáil this month, he insisted he would not provide a “blow-by-blow account” of the negotiations. Still, the appointment of consultants to carry out a financial assessment of church orders linked to the homes underlines the failure to achieve a deal.

“It is ridiculous that the State would expect anyone to believe that the religious orders will pay money when they’re not forced to,” said Dr Maeve O’Rourke, a lecturer in human rights law at University of Galway who has worked with survivors of the homes.

She cited a one-year amendment to the statute of limitations in 2000 to allow people to bring historic child sexual abuse cases, saying that was the critical step that prompted contributions to the Residential Institutions Redress Board.

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Given that precedent, Dr O’Rourke says the best way to secure church contributions to a mother and baby home redress scheme is to change the law. “People need to be allowed access to courts and there needs to be something in it for religious orders to instead participate in a less adversarial process,” she said.

[ Coalition to run rule over church assets in bid to break mother and baby homes impasse  ]

As it stands, however, the Government remains committed to talks under the stewardship of Sheila Nunan, the former trade unionist who was appointed special negotiator in May after Mr O’Gorman failed to get an agreement.

Still at issue is whether any significant payments can be secured. The position of Catholic church leaders is that reparations are a matter for individual orders and not the hierarchy.

To date only one of seven Catholic bodies in the talks – the Bon Secours sisters – has stated publicly that it will contribute.

“The Congregation of Sisters of Bon Secours can confirm that we have made a commitment to make a financial contribution to the redress scheme,” the order said, declining to disclose how much it might provide. Charities Regulator data shows the order’s net assets were valued at €99 million in 2022.

Others congregations had little or nothing to say about the talks or the financial review of their assets.

Regulatory data shows the net assets of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul had a net valuation of €88.1 million in 2022. “The Daughters of Charity is in correspondence with Ms Sheila Nunan in order to clarify a number of matters in respect of this assessment process,” it said.

Data shows the Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd congregation had net assets with a €73.71 million valuation in 2022. “They are meeting with the government-appointed negotiator. That process continues,” said a spokesperson.

The Sisters of Mercy, whose net assets had a 2022 valuation of €35.37 million, had no comment.

It was the same with the Sisters of St John of God, whose Irish province had net assets with a €48.42 million value. “I’ve been asked to inform you that talks with the Government are confidential, and therefore the Sisters of St John of God have no comment to make.”

Similarly, the Legion of May lay order declined to discuss the talks. “There is no comment because the talks are ongoing,” they said. The legion’s net assets had a €2.95 million valuation in 2022.

There was nobody available to discuss the talks for the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, whose net assets in 2022 had a €5.84 million valuation.

In connection with the Protestant-run Bethany home, the Church of Ireland is also involved in the talks. Still, the church insists it had no role in the affair. “It’s important to remember that the Church of Ireland neither owned nor operated any of the homes referred to in the report. This fact was conveyed to the Minister in earlier engagement,” it said in reply to questions.

The church went on to say it “has not been approached by the State” in relation to a financial assessment. The net assets of the representative body of the Church of Ireland were valued at €592 million in 2022.

“The meetings we have had with State representatives have been cordial and constructive where we hope what we had to say added to deeper understanding and appreciation of our position,” the church said.

“We will continue our dialogue with representatives of the Minister in that same spirit of co-operation and for as long as they believe the church can assist the State as it moves to the implementation stage of its proposed redress scheme,” it added.

“We should point out that the proposed redress scheme is the State’s response. The Church of Ireland was not consulted by the State in advance which, given the State’s primacy in this matter, was the correct course to adopt.”

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