Worry about funding redress scheme for abuse in schools runs deep

Good morning.

The decision by the Government to establish a commission of investigation into allegations of historical sexual abuse in schools is likely to be the easiest part of the process. A programme for government commitment, and a recommendation from the scoping inquiry into the matter, its establishment was a foregone conclusion in many ways. However, much thornier issues remain – most prominently, the issue of redress.

While welcoming many aspects of the Government announcement, abuse survivors’ groups expressed disappointment that the issue of redress has been delayed. Minister for Education Helen McEntee said on Tuesday that the Coalition considers “a further phase of detailed investigation and data analysis on this issue will be essential”. McEntee made all the right noises about going after the organisations – primarily religious orders – who ran the schools. But the State’s record in extracting sufficient cash from these orders to pay for historical abuse is both a sorry and a long one.

Going back to last September, when the scoping inquiry report was published, senior government figures have emphasised two things consistently: Firstly, that redress must happen, and quickly – Simon Harris, taoiseach at the time, said such a scheme could not be “parked” until the statutory inquiry was complete. But privately, the second issue they fret about is the cost. Public statements heaping pressure on orders to pay up are just that: statements. Meanwhile, the worry about the tab and its impact on the exchequer runs deep. In 2023, officials in the Department of Education outlined that a broad scheme would expose the exchequer to “unquantifiable and potentially enormous costs”. Earlier this year, officials in the Department of Public Expenditure warned that the recommendations from the scoping inquiry have the potential to “very significantly impact on public finances”.

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There is both a political and a moral imperative behind establishing a redress scheme. But there is also a cold hard reality to funding it. For now, victims do not know what they’ll get, or when, or if they’ll get redress at all. There is no clear or established path to ensuring religious orders pay towards a scheme. And the State cannot confidently measure its liability, nor ignore the risk of footing the bill.

The tension between these competing points is likely to increase in the years ahead.

Fees conundrum

The issue of how much families will have to pay for college registration fees next year continued to dominate proceedings in the Dáil yesterday and last night, culminating in a Sinn Féin motion on the topic, while students protested outside the gates of Leinster House. Read Marie O’Halloran’s report here.

While it lacks the heat of last week, the issue is unlikely to totally fade away any time soon. The Opposition knows the Government is in a bind on it – it cannot, by its own admission, provide a straightforward answer on the fees question without pre-empting the budget process. Meanwhile, it provides an evergreen angle of attack for the Opposition parties on the cost-of-living debate, something which they have all shifted focus towards in recent weeks. More of that this morning, with a Social Democrats motion on transparency in supermarket profits.

Make no mistake about it, the budget wars are already under way. And after years of watching while government parties disbursed huge amounts of exchequer funds to voters, the Opposition will not hesitate in attacking.

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Playbook

The Dáil kicks off at 9am with topical issues, before a motion from the Social Democrats at 10am on transparency in supermarket profits.

Leaders’ Questions is at midday, followed by Other Members’ Questions and Questions on Policy or Legislation.

At lunchtime there will be statements on last month’s European Council meeting, before government business in the afternoon is given over to statements on the all-island strategic rail review.

The Mental Health Bill goes through its report and final stages at 5.06pm, followed by the Statute Law Revision Bill going through the same process. Seanad amendments will be taken on legislation governing supports for survivors of residential institutional abuse, followed by the committee and remaining stages of the Planning and Development Bill.

Seanad

The Seanad sits at 10.30am for commencement matters. In the afternoon, it will take the second stage of the Defamation Bill and consider an Opposition Bill providing for paid leave following miscarriage.

Government business will be given over to social welfare legislation reforming bereaved partner’s pensions. There will also be statements on the Post Office network before the Seanad adjourns at 7.50pm.

Committees

Pre-budget submissions from NGOs are the order of the day for the social protection committee at 9.30am, while the health committee will look at legal and policy gaps in adult safeguarding following the recent RTÉ report on nursing homes.

The disability matters committee will look at the delivery of disability policy, while unmanned aircraft systems are to be discussed by the transport committee – including an appearance from former Dublin GAA manager Jim Gavin, who is also chief operations officer for the Irish Aviation Authority.

Minister for Higher Education James Lawless is in with his sectoral committee at 12.30pm to discuss revised estimates. Later in the afternoon, the infrastructure committee will discuss the role and remit of the Courts Service, while the agriculture committee holds a session on farm safety. Both of those are at 3.30pm.

The Taoiseach is doing revised estimates for his department with the finance committee at 4pm, before a general engagement at 5pm. Peter Burke has the same job at the enterprise committee at 6.30pm, while at the same time, the foreign affairs committee continues its pre-legislative scrutiny of the Settlements Bill.

Here’s the full Oireachtas schedule.