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World News

Cash strapped Irish religious orders struggling to pay abuse compensation

by Desmond Busteed

The mainly Catholic orders claim that their property assets have suffered a 30 per cent drop in value since 2009.

According to the Irish Times, religious orders are taking a 'firm line' against further contributions that would meet the Government's target of an equal sharing of redress costs.

The congregations have to date lodged €81.44 (£61.08) million in the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund through cash payments and proceeds from property sales.

A further €42 (£31.50) million of property has been transferred to State ownership, leaving the congregations more than €300 (£225.06) million short of pledged contributions.

To pay their half-share of the redress bill, as sought by the Government, the congregations will have to meet these existing commitments and come up with a further €245 (£183.82) million in cash or property.

All of these transfers are part of a €352.6 (£264.5) million commitment in funding made by the congregations following the publication of the Ryan report in 2009, which uncovered testimony by victims of abuse, described by some as 'Ireland's Holocaust'.

Among the more extreme allegations of abuse were beatings, rapes, and subjection to naked beatings in public.

An additional €128 (£96.03) million was pledged by the congregations under a 2002 indemnity agreement with the State.
This agreement included cash contributions of €54 (£40.51) million, which have been met, and the transfer of 61 properties, 44 of which have been achieved.

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