The State has failed to pay a single penny to child abuse survivors through a scheme set up four years ago.
And the State’s response to students who were sexually assaulted by teachers has been branded “cruel” and “dishonest”.
The scheme was established after a landmark case five years ago, in which the European Court of Human Rights got involved in a case here.
It ruled the State was vicariously liable for the abuse Louise O’Keefe suffered at the hands of her former national school principal Leo Hickey at Dunderrow National School in Co Cork.
The Government then set up the out-of-court compensation scheme for people abused in day schools.
But despite the fact 50 people have applied, no money has been paid out.
The scheme, implemented by the State Claims Agency on behalf of the Department of Education, has been criticised.
In particular, the State’s requirement applicants must establish the existence of a prior complaint against their alleged abuser in order to be eligible for compensation has been branded “cruel and immoral”.
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One applicant John Allen, from Cork city, said the State seems to want him and other abuse survivors to “go away”. The former student at North Monastery Christian Brothers National School told RTE News yesterday: “It seems as if the State wants you to just go away and shut up.”
Two of his Christian Brother attackers have been convicted of child sexual abuse.
Mr Allen said: “This stuff is in our dark history – [but they want to] keep the slime under the rock and do not lift the rock. Not one single syllable or one red cent has been paid to me for the loss of my potential in life.” Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has sharply criticised the State’s treatment of abuse survivors.
He told RTE Radio One’s This Week programme: “I think the Government’s approach has been dishonest.
“I think it represents a cynical and very cruel disregard for the victims of child sexual abuse in primary schools.
“And this redress scheme was essentially set up with a condition that made it impossible for people to qualify and to get payment.”
Woman charged with rape and sexual abuse of her two children at Galway District Court
