February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
With healing in mind, the RIRB tried to allay concerns about those who suffered abuse at the hands of clergy and authorities while housed in these institutions, where all too often abuses ranging from the sexual to the emotional took place between the 1920s and 1980s.
The RIRB received an overwhelming response, and more than 5,000 applications later, the system has not been without controversy of its own.
Some victims groups are petitioning that thousands of people may have left Ireland and are still unaware of the awards available. Lawyers are circling and trying to track people down as the December deadline looms. Add in the staggering numbers of people coming forward, and many involved are unsure what the legacy of this board will be.
The compensation program was envisioned to coincide with a report by the Independent Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse.
Brenda McVeigh, who is working on the report, said that the response from victims was overwhelming.
“They have been adamant,” she said. “A report is largely what they want so the public knows these things did happen.”
While justification has been a coup for many of the abused in these institutions, the response made it clear that with the information that came out of the Commission’s preliminary reports, compensation would have to be initiated.
The RIRB Bill was drawn up and signed into law by President Mary MacAleese in early 2002 and has been taking applications since then. High Court Justice Sean O’Leary chairs the independent board, and 18 religious orders signed an agreement to give money that would make up the awards.
The RIRB considers awards on a scale of severity of abuse, labeled I-V, V being most serious, and 60 percent of the cases have fallen into the II category, which carries an award range of