Dear Mr Doyle,
The Minister for Education and Skills, Mr Ruairí Quinn, T.D., has asked me to refer to your email of 15th April regarding the proposed Statutory Fund, the contents of which have been noted. While the Minister is unfortunately not in a position to meet with you at this time, he has asked me to outline the current position in relation to the proposed Statutory Fund.
As you are aware, following the announcement of the proposal to utilise €110 million of the contributions being offered by the religious congregations to establish a Statutory Fund to support the needs of survivors, the Department undertook a detailed consultation process. Officials met with you on 16th June, 2010 and your submission on the proposed Statutory Fund of 25th August, 2010 was considered. Meetings were held with survivor representatives, religious congregations and other interested parties. In addition, over 250 individual responses were received in response to newspaper advertisements which invited views on the specific needs facing survivors and how the Fund could operate to assist in meeting those needs. As was noted in the advertisements, the Fund is separate and distinct from the compensation scheme operated by the independent Residential Institutions Redress Board, which provides fair and reasonable awards to victims of institutional childhood abuse.
Having considered the views expressed during the consultation process, the Department prepared proposals together with a General Scheme of a Bill to provide for the Statutory Fund. These proposals will now be considered by the Minister and the Government.
The position in relation to the cash contributions is that the sum of €20.6 million has been received and placed in a special interest bearing account in the Central Bank pending the establishment of the Statutory Fund. The remaining congregations are awaiting confirmation that the legislation will provide for the charitable status of their contributions to the Fund or sight of the proposed terms and structure of the Fund, prior to making their initial cash contributions. The offers of contributions envisaged that these contributions would be made over a period of years.
There will be further contact with you following the Government’s consideration of the proposals.
Yours sincerely,
Ronnie Ryan
Private Secretary
So where do we go now? what is the status of availing of this trust fund why dont we set up a group I have my paper work stating I was abused but like many other my paper work went missing from various institutions, The fact that I have to prove I was abused by the nuns was a disgrace and now the EHB have lost the hospital report mentally worn out emotionally filled with distrust of all agencies dealing with abuse so I ask again where do I go?
Orders €400m short of abuse redress target
By Conor Ryan, Investigative Correspondent
Monday, July 23, 2012
Stalled negotiations have left religious orders €400m short of the compensation target set by the Government for abuse redress contributions.
Just one out of 18 orders has accepted the principle that, together, they should shoulder 50% of the €1.3bn abuse redress bill.
It is a year since Education Minister Ruairi Quinn met with the orders with a view to increasing their property contributions: At the time he suggested transferring ownership of school sites.
Last Friday, he saw a bill through the Oireachtas that established a trust fund to accept cash from the orders.
But afterwards he said he was disappointed by the lack of progress in talks, or movement from the 18 orders named in the Ryan Report in May 2009. He said the orders’ response has been “unsatisfactory”.
His department said the orders had made additional property offers which they said were worth €235.5m. But the department said just a fifth of the sites were considered suitable for transfer, and the value of these was well below the target.
“Of the properties offered to the State, 12 have been identified as of potential immediate benefit and the transfer of these properties is being pursued. The value of these 12 properties, based on the congregations’ own valuations, is approximately €60m,” it said.
The orders have also donated €21m in cash. This is earmarked for the survivors’ trust, and any additional sums will go towards the construction of the New National Children’s Hospital. Other orders said they would release their cash offers once the trust is set up. The law will be signed by President Michael D Higgins this week.
Some offers are now contingent on property disposals. It is understood that this is the case for a portion of the €5m offered by theReligious Sisters of Charity.
Separate to the negotiations, a proposal it submitted to Dublin City Council has mapped out six lucrative sites in the city which it would like to be allowed develop for commercial or residential purposes. These were the focus of a High Court challenge it successfully took against the council’s draft development plan.
Three tracts at Sandymount, Harold’s Cross, and Walkinstown are deemed surplus to requirements.
Another three at Merrion, Donnybrook, and Crumlin are likely to become available. The order had argued to the council and the High Court that any attempt to place restrictive zonings on institutional land assets was in breach of the constitutional right of religious groups to manage property without State interference.
Last year, it emerged that the most valuable properties had not been offered to the State by the orders.
In the last six months just one additional transfer has been completed and, after 10 years of discussions, 20 are outstanding.
For anyone that does not know. I hear that Mr Noel C Barry will be appearing tonight on the RTE1 program with Pat Kenny, on Frontline. Should make Interesting listening.
These groups dont make sense. there are survivers all over the world. whats the point in printing the same peoples opinions on every type of problem survivers might have.thay dont know because thay have been getting all the attention in all these years. thay are well paid in all the ways possable. after all these years thay have become well off.thay act as if its the same for all of us but many need help. thay ignore these .
Cora, the only people that will be benefiting from this New Fund, are these Parasites who call themselves Group leaders, like (Right of Place Second Chance) Christine Buckley, and others, who look after No one but themselves.
I will Guarantee you, these So Called Groups, already have their submissions in already for Funding from this New Statutory Trust Fund.
We are sick and tired of telling Government Officials, We do NOT want any of these groups representing Survivors, as all they are doing is lining their own pockets from the proceeds they receive in Survivors names.
Dispand ALL of these groups NOW. They are doing (NOTHING) for Survivors, all they are is a Referral Service, which is NOT necessary.
I am appalled at what I have just seen here even today with all the promises we will take care to make sure everyone who was abused will not be abused again. The so call new minister for education has again abused us. He has sided with the religious abusers. If this fund is set up to assist survivors access funding where can I ACCESS THIS MONEY TO ASSIST ME WITH MY STUDIES??? SHAME ON YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT SIR
As regards seeing various postings on this great site, or any other site, of the support , help and assistance received by Survivors from Right of Place, “NO CHANCE”
Possible answers to the vast amount of questions asked of this group, “NO CHANCE”
Will we as genuine Survivors ever actually learn just how many members they claim to represent? “NO CHANCE”
Will we ever learn what exactly they squandered all the funding they have received over the last 9 years on? “NO CHANCE”
Will the HSE and Education Dept ever investigate this group and/OR explain to us the reason for not doing so? “NO CHANCE”
Will Right of Place be sending out the usual Christmas cards and Turkey vouchers again this year? “NO CHANCE”
Will Right of Place ever come clean to Survivors that are seeking the truth, and explain their reasons for ignoring so many requests? “NO CHANCE”
As far as I am concerned, they are what I call the bottom line, “OUT AND OUT CHANCERS”
RIGHT UP THERE WITH OUR RELIGIOUS ABUSERS!
JIMMY UK
How is it, i wonder that whenever this Contraversial group (Right of Place Second Chance) is mentioned in the Media, its for all the wrong reasons? There is an old saying that, (There is no smoke without fire) It must be true.
It’s been reported, again today that this Cork based group (Right of Place) has spent over €80,000 on travel, and Subsistance expenses, and an additional €30,000 on Office and Administration over a period of two years. I do really hope that this group can account for this Blatant waste of Taxpayers money?
Where on earth can a group who claims to hopefully represent it’s (So Called Membership) through one to one interaction, Via it’s Web –Site, Accumulate this kind of Expenditure? This is Truly Unbelieveable, Unreal? Surly there are questions to be put to Their Board of Directors, and answers received?
Where has this money been spent? What exactly has all this money been spent on? And (WHY) How much in expenses has each one of Their Board of Directors received, and (FOR WHAT) Many of our elected representatives in Dail Eireann are not claiming those amounts in expenses.
Can someone in Lower Glanmire Road please explain, who exactly paid for the Legal expenses which occurred in an action that was taken by a former employee against (Right of Place) in 2010, for the amount of €7,000. And also what this Settlement of €6,700, plus €4,000, Legal fees was actually for? All of these questions MUST be answered.
It also shows that in the year 2010, this group (Right of Place Second Chance) received, in total €367,013, in Grants, and also a one off payment for Redundancies, and Legal Fees. A lot of Taxpayers money. (WASTED.) Someone in Lower Glanmire Road, seems to be doing very well from all of this? I wonder WHO?
It also, seemingly, has had it’s Budget slashed in the past yeat, after it had emerged that (Duplicate Funding) had been taking part for many years. How can this happen? I thought The HSE were to check on this group every month, to ensure that all monies received and spent, was done in a proper manner? Am i wrong to believe that someone here was NOT doing their job?
Are we supposed to believe that The Management of this group (Right of Place Second Chance) were NOT aware that they were receiving (DOUBLE FUNDING) for years prior to this report? Would their Legal Advisor, (Whoever She or He is) not have been very aware of this ILLEGAL deception of monies from the state coffers? If this is so, then i think Immediate proceedings should be issued through the proper channels, and this Contraversial group, Thoroughly Investigated without delay.
I cannot for the life of me comprehend what Training and Research is done in Lower Glanmire Road Cork. They claim on their Web-Site that they have a fully qualified Staff. What did they need an extra €90,000 more Funding from the Department of Education for?? It does NOT make any sense.
Survivors to this day, Still have Grave concerns about the amounts of money that this group (Right of Place Second Chance) are receiving from The Department, and are even more concerned as to, (Where This Money is Being Spent?) Because no one in (Right of Place Second Chance) seems to be able to, or even want to answer questions relating to all the money they have got from The Department, and other State bodies since the Redress Board was set up.
This is completely Unacceptable to all Survivors. The Funding is NOT channeled to them, so we are all asking you again. (What happened to all of the Milllions you received in our names from the state, and other Contributors?) We are NOT going to accept SILENCE as an answer forever. Sooner or later, you will HAVE to answer.
€34Million is a hell of a lot of Funding that has been given to these groups, who purport to be helping Survivors over the years. We know that this is NOT the case., and i would urge any body Funding these groups to delve in depth to these groups, and dont ask, but MAKE them accountable for these Funds.
We are all sick of asking questions from these groups, especially the group known as, (Right of Place Second Chance) who has its offices at Lower Glanmire Road Cork. We demand answers to out questions, and we want them NOW.
And these groups are only for survivers in ireland. or as far as i know. what do thay do with so much money we would have all been better off if we had been trusted to look after ourselves. most of us dident even know thay existed untill we got a computer. so we can look out for ourselves otherwise we wouldnt be using computers.we cant all come back to ireland having no base there.
Survivors’ group spends €80k on travel, subsistence
By Jennifer Hough
Thursday, October 06, 2011
A STATE-FUNDED group for survivors of institutional abuse spent over €80,000 on travel and subsistence, and over €30,000 on office administration over two years.
Annual accounts filed yesterday by the Cork-based organisation Right of Place show that in 2009 and 2010, the group had expenses of €478,534 and €423,850 respectively. During 2010, the accounts show that almost €14,000 was spent on office administration, and almost €9,000 on printing, postage and stationary.
Over €7,000 was spent on legal fees. A note to the accounts shows that during 2010 a case taken against Right of Place by a former employee meant the group was ordered to pay a settlement of €6,700, as well as legal fees amounting to almost €4,000.
During 2010, Right of Place received €321,860 in grants and a one-off payment of €45,153 for redundancies and legal fees.
However, its budget has been slashed in the past year after it emerged that duplicate funding had been taking place over many years.
In the past, Right of Place was funded through grants from both the HSE and the Department of Education. Now its only source of state funding is the HSE, from which it receives about €183,000. It had sought a further €90,000 from the Department of Education.
Internal documents obtained by the Irish Examiner show that the department wrote to the HSE this year to check what money it had given to the group in order that both would not fund it for the same thing.
The department official wrote that Right of Place, which it has funded since 2001, sought funding for areas of expenditure the department had never previously funded. These included staff salaries, office rent, training and research.
Survivors had raised concern about the amount of money which groups purporting to represent them get. An estimated €34 million has been provided to groups supporting victims of institutional abuse between 2001 and 2009.
Right of Place has received €2.4m from the HSE since 2002, with a further €1m coming from the Department of Education.
The Aislinn education and support centre, set up by former Goldenbridge resident Christine Buckley, between 2007 and 2010 topped €1.1m
Read more:
Horrors of child abuse could be repeated
By Caroline O’Doherty
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
CHILD abuse remains a serious threat in Ireland despite over a decade of inquires and reports revealing the suffering of tens of thousands of children at the hands of Church and state.
A major study says continuing lack of accountability in key institutions, public discomfort with the subject of abuse, and state reluctance to prosecute those who turned a blind eye to it mean the horrors of the past could be repeated.
The Amnesty International Ireland research was accepted by Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald.
“We should not fool ourselves into believing that abuse occurred in a sepia-toned Ireland that is dead and gone,” she said.
“It happened long after we knew it was happening.
“It’s easy for us as a society to fall into a trap of believing that the current knowledge of what happened equates to safety.
“The assumption that because we know that abuse can happen, we make it less likely to happen, is fallacy because knowledge is of little use without action.”
Norah Gibbons, the director of advocacy at children’s charity Barnardos, also warned of the “ongoing prevalence of an organisational culture that focuses on the protection of the institution or agency over the protection of children”.
A key finding of the study, which examined the Ferns, Ryan, Murphy and Cloyne reports into clerical and institutional child abuse, is the failure of the criminal justice system to date to prosecute those in positions of authority who concealed crimes.
Lead author Carole Holohan said: “The reports raise serious questions about the rule of law, given the evidence of deferential treatment shown to priests and bishops by members of the gardaí.”
Solicitor Pearse Mehigan, who also contributed, said every file ever referred to the DPP alleging abuse by clergy and the religious should be reopened and examined to establish “whether or not there were political machinations in force behind the decision-making process”.
“If the failure of the criminal justice system to prosecute criminality on the grand scale revealed in the various reports into clerical child abuse goes unaddressed, then an environment of impunity will continue to exist.”
The In Plain Sight study, which runs to over 400 pages, also catalogues the various forms of abuse and neglect recorded in the four reports and concludes they satisfy the definitions of torture, slavery and cruel and inhuman treatment as laid down under international human rights law.
Amnesty Ireland executive director Colm O’Gorman said: “The human rights violations referred to are some of the greatest human rights violations in the history of this state.”
An accompanying opinion poll revealed the public’s ongoing difficulty with the subject of child abuse.
It found that 58% of adults felt helpless to deal with the issues raised in the four reports, 50% believed society at large would prefer to turn a blind eye to child abuse, and 50% said society remained prejudiced against children who were in the care of the state.
Read more:
It seems that the group (Right of Place Second Chance) are Not very good at living up to what they preach.
As a Survivor, i have recently emailed this group at their offices at Lower Glanmire Road, to send me out a copy of their Rules, and also a copy of their Constitution, so i may be able to examine them, as i had wished to sign up with this group.
However, my request has been Totally ignored, and No correspondence of any kind whatsoever has been forthcoming from this group. Which leaves me to believe that, (Right of Place Second Chance Limited) is for (The Chosen Few) Mr Walsh says All Survivors are welcome, but he is Obviously lying.
Below is an item on the Web-Page of (Right of Place Second Chance) on Frequently Asked Questions. Remember, these are their own word’s.
“I am a Survivor but not a member of Right Of Place Second Chance, will you still offer me support?
We will offer help to any Survivor where possible, as we understand the difficulties many survivors face in their lives, however priority of services and time has to be given to members of Right Of Place Second Chance. “
As you can see, I have asked (Right of Place Second Chance) for permission to join their group, and instead of trying to help me, they Totally ignore me. Which Proves beyond any shadow of a doubt, their words portray one thing, and their actions, something else.
If this is the case, I ask, WHY does the HSE, and other organizations continue to Fund this (Limited Company) when they clearly ignore Survivors request’s, to even simply join their group? The only people they help, are themselves, and No one else.
Do they help anyone? I doubt it. We are all sick of hearing from them, look at our Web Site and see all the good work they have done. I ask everyone to, please do check this Site. You will see nothing that they have achieved, nothing at all.
Another extract from (Right of Place Web-Site below, which clearly states, and I quote.
“Can A Survivor attend Right Of Place Meetings?
We do not claim to represent every Survivor of Institutional Abuse, only our members. As such only members of Right Of Place Second Chance and their families can attend meetings. “
Yet at the last meeting held in The Imperial Hotel in Cork recently, Survivors who were not members of the group (Right of Place Second Chance) were asked to leave the meeting. The Outreach Officer, who openly admitted She was NOT a Survivor, and also NOT a member of this group, but however, She was NOT asked to leave. WHY?
If this is indeed the case Mr Walsh. HOW can I attend a meeting held by the group (Right of Place Second Chance) if I cannot even become a Member? As it seems that I am NOT wanted in your Elite Group. Can you please give me (1) good reason as to WHY as a Survivor; this Representative body is discriminating me against? Please explain.
You are now asking Survivors to tell their stories to some University Student in London, who is doing a study of Survivors as she is undertaking a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology and would like your views. How weird is that? How on earth can you in (Right of Place Second Chance) ask Survivors to relive their terrible experiences by telling their Traumatic Experiences to a complete stranger? You are Unbelievable, the lot of you. Is there any level, as to how low you will stoop?
Remember Mr Walsh, your Son is the person who administers the Web Site, and he obviously does it under your supervision. I suppose I will as always be, ignored as per usual.
Then at the end of the day, I guess that is what always happens when a Survivor asks a question of the Board of Directors. Isn’t it Mr Walsh?
Re Minutes of Cork meeting held in the Imperial Hotel on the 21st July 2011
Mr Walsh Junior, i dont know where you got the information, when you stated that it was publicised that a protest would take place outside the Hotel. This i can tell you truthfully here and now is Incorrect. No such protest was planned, nor did one take place, and one was Not organised by anyone. Cork radio did Not announce that there was going to be a protest, but did say there was a meeting going to take place.
No protest materialised Mr Walsh simply because, none was planned. So your assumptions are yet again Incorrect. The only misguided people that were shown up Mr Walsh were, your lot of (So Called) group leaders who thought it was just a matter of turning up at the Hotel as you have always done, and Bully the Survivors with the Sheer load of Rubbish your lot dish out.
Your group are the misguided ones, and that was clearly shown to be the case at this (Illegal) and pointless meeting you held.
The four people that you say created an Atmosphere of Intimadation Mr Walsh were members of your group ROP. They were Not there to disrupt the Cork meeting. These members were sick and tired of you lot dictating to them, and giving No information whatsoever. It just goes to show that, you have all in ROP have lost your way completly.
There is no need for you Mr Walsh to offer your apoligies to the ordinary members of ROP for allowing this uncomfortable situation to arise. It was shameful and disrespectful, but on your behalf, and NOT the members. This is what YOU in Right of Place Second Chance have created. Members who are Totally against every one of you in Lower Glanmire Road. It’s Dictatorship at it’s best.
Your Father could not answer a simple question from one Survivor who asked him where he got his name and details from, as this person Did Not sign up to be a member of this group. Your father told the Survivor “Ok i will take your name off the Data-Base” this is not an acceptable statement for the Chairman of the group ROP to give to a Survivor. Of course your Father would have been only too happy to take this persons name from the data-Base, it would be one less Disgruntled person who asked questions for you all to deal with.
Please explain how you are responding to the needs of Survivors. This is all we get from you lot, we are looking after the needs of the Survivor, and their families You most certainly are NOT. All you are looking after are yourselves, and No one else. How much of your Funding actually goes in helping Survivors? None i will bet, but i would safely say, you all claim expenses, and plenty at that. Can the money you claim on your expenses be viewed, for Survivors to inspect for themselves? I bet not, as you would most likely Claim Confidentiality yet again. You are Liars, every one of you. Great word this (Confidentially) covers just about everything, does’nt it?
You have a Cheek then to inform Survivors, of all the Special Schools, and Health care programmes that are losing support, by now asking Survivors to run marathons, and to raise much needed money for your organisation, as you are so cash strapped. You are unbelievable, the lot of you. What about all the Millions of Taxpayers money ye have squandered already over the years in there, and not one of you are prepared to investigate it? These are the questions Survivors want answered, and Not who you want to elect on your corrupt committees.
How dare you Mr Walsh Junior to criticise Survivors that you say disrupted Your organisation, it is Not your organisation, You are not even a Survivor, but your Fathers son, who got himself a position within a group, that he has No business in whatsoever.
It seems that the only people who were disappointed that evening at The Imperial Hotel, was Right of Place. The members spoke out, because you have Not listened to their grieviences. You have NEVER answered their questions, and you Still refuse to answer them. You clearly are NOT working for the Survivor.
The only people that are playing into the hands of the Government are, the Groups that purport to represent Survivors, and their interests. You all seem to be working With the Government to Suppress Survivors, and keep us silent. This i can assure you, will Not happen.
We Survivors, i will have you know, are NOT misguided Individuals as you so put it, whom progress has passed by. If you call what you lot do in those offices in Lower Glanmire Road as progress, then it’s backwards we are all going, because at the end of the day, all you are doing in there, is lining your own pockets with the Funding that should be going to the Survivors. More of the same.
You ask us to, as you put it, (and i quote,) “Look at the facts on progress and change in the New Right of Place” If you dont support us then support your own people- constructively.
I will ask you NOW. Where can i see the facts on progress and change that you say you have done? Where can i find these facts. I would love to support someone who helps Survivors, but i can never find a group that can prove to me that they have helped anyone. I dont think there is any such group. Please prove me wrong.
Why should a Survivor be ordered out of a meeting? A Survivor, is a Survivor, and has every right to attend any meeting, and quiz any group who purports to speak on their behalf. Also Who does Francis Treanor think he is ordering Survivors to leave? Francis Treanor was NOT elected to any position in that group, and therefore has NO business chairing meetings, and dictating Policy, so i say to YOU Mr Francis Treanor, (Mind Your Own Business)
You stated that, Francis Treanor asked that any person who was a member of any other group to leave the meeting, and his request was not complied with. How do any of you in ROP know if someone is a member of another group or not? Please explain?
There is the burning question hanging over a member of the New Board of Directors, Mr Tom Wall, who is a member on the Board of Directors, Right of Place Second Chance, and also serves as a Committee member for the group (Alliance) can you please explain that please Mr Walsh (Snr)? I do hope you have sent Mr Wall a letter stating your preferences, that he can only be a member of one group only? Double standards yet again.
You all seem to have no problem with Francis Treanor, to be given time to answer the questions being put to him, yet when a Survivor asks a question he is ignored. This works both ways. Survivors need to have their questions answered, if this was the case, you would Not have any difficulty holding meetings. But i would advise you all, do NOT ignore Survivors questions, and answer them Truthfully.
I would like to ask Mr Walsh, what work do these (13) Full time & Part time workers actually do in Right of Place? I’m sure they are not working for nothing, and i’m also certain that My Walsh, is not working for nothing either, are you Michael? I dont know where all these people are normally, because any time Survivors ring the office, the phones are very rarely answered. I dont know where in Right of Place, all these so called workers hide?
Like we said earlier, we would all like to support the groups, if we thought that they were doing what Survivors wanted them to do. But all we are getting from these groups, is Negative response’s to everything we ask them, and feel totally ignored by them. Can you not see that? Or is it we dont matter?
How many of your staff are professional in Right of Place? None i would say? Also i am quite certain that Mr Francis Treanor is being well paid for whatever work he does, (If Any) After seeing the way he conducted himself at these (ILLEGAL) meetings he has held around the country, i am surprised he is still there. He has stated “For the amount of professional work he has undertaken for Right of Place Second Chance, €70,000 would’nt even cover his fees” He then goes on to say, that his wages for Right of Place Second Chance were €15,000 per year. Who the hell does this man think he is fooling, he obviously thinks we are all stupid. And yes, i can see why his statement did not change this individuals view, on it being the truth.
The so called New policy of Right of Place to employ So Called professionals im sure was Mr Walsh’s idea, so he could get his own son a top job, with a nice salary, and No, i do not think it was a question of the proper person meeting the criteria, but a case of Nepotism, and nothing else. We are not stupid. I also agree that Ann-Marie Crean has no place as Outreach Officer in Lower Glanmire Road, as she is NOT a Survivor, and i believe is NOT fully trained, but meerly an understudy, and should NOT be employed in that office. What are her qualifications? Did she not work for Mr Noel C Barry as his secretary before?
It’s also very strange, that Mr Francis Treanor should ask Suirvivors who were not members of Right of Place Second Chance, to leave the meeting, and yet ALLOW a person who openly admitted that she was Not a Survivor herself, or indeed a member of Right of Place Second Chance, to remain. So wrong.
Mr Michael Walsh may indeed have held meetings in Limerick, Galway, and Waterford where Survivors were allowed to ask questions, and get answers to their questions, but i have never ever seen that in Cork, and there are plenty of Survivors out there who can prove this, when we asked questions at previous meetings, Mr Francis Treanor would reply, we are Not discussing that, and only certain questions could be asked, and would move onto the business that HE wanted to deal with, and our questions were irrevelent, unanswered, and totally ignored. And these people expect Survivors to show them (RESPECT) You must first and foremost show respect Sir, before you will receive it. That has always been the way.
How many times Mr Walsh have i asked you questions, over and over again, only to be totally ignored by you, and your Son, and branded a Troublemaker? As you clearly stated in your response, “If you ask a question, please have the manners to allow an answer” I am Still awaiting answers to all the questions i have asked you Mr Walsh? I await in hope.
A question for Mr Walsh again, how come there are only (2) Two Board members on the New Board of Right of Place Second Chance, yourself Mr Walsh, and Mr Tom Wall? Can you explain to Survivors what happened to the remaining (3) Board Members, and also, Why they have not been replaced?
It is also Untrue as written that, No decision would be taken that affected your members, unless they were consulted first. It seems Sir, you are selective as to who you will, or will not send out correspondence to in these matters, because all Survivors are not always contacted on matters of importance to them, and not all Survivors are contacted when a meeting is called. WHY?
Dealing with the Survivor who asked, “How did you get my details to ask me to come to this meeting” Mr Walsh, you stated if the member received a letter from ROP they were on their Data-Base. You obviously Sir had this Survivors details (ILLEGALLY) on your records, and you still did NOT answer the question. You told him he could have his name removed. That Sir was No answer to give this person. I dread to think how many Hundreds more Survivors, in the same position you are holding on that Controversial (ILLEGAL) Data-Base you hold? In my opinion, the whole issue of this Data-Base should be investigated by the Gardai. I cannot understand how your Legal Advisor, has Allowed you to hold this (ILLEGAL) Data-Base, and use it for so long. Very strange indeed.
I think Mr Francis Treanor had a downright Cheek to suggest electing a Regional Committee at that point. Survivors were asking, Why should we elect someone we dont even know, few people knew one another, and why ask someone to nominate people they never even heard of. I wonder who Mr Treanor, and Mr Michael Walsh had planted there for this election. I think i know right well who, and so did others. We have seen their So Called Democratic ways in action on so many many occasions, and it is not pretty, i can assure you. The members saw right through the lot of you that evening. Thats for sure.
There were also Survivors there i believe, who did not get invitations, and only heard of the meeting from their Local Radio Station. This happens quite often with ROP, which leads me to think that, Indeed the people are handpicked for these occasions quite often. We will be watching very closely in the future, to see what happens, and await with interest, for the next meeting you have planned for the Cork Committee.
The meeting had lasted for Two and a half hours. A lot of Survivors were very very angry with the people who held this meeting at the Arrogance of the Top Table. Seemingly, a lot of Survivors had done their homework, before attending the meeting, and were ready for every eventuality, which stunned the organisers. They certainly got more than they Bargained for that evening, and thats for sure. These Survivors have indicated to Mr Michael Walsh, and Mr Francis Treanor, that they will Not be Bullied by these people. They have enough of these Bully Boy tatics, and are Not prepared to put up with any more Lies and Deceit from Right of Place Second Chance.
Personally i think that (ALL SURVIVOR GROUPS) should be Disbanded Immediately, as they are NOT helping Survivors. They are drawing Funding from the Government, The HSE, and other Organisations, in the name of Survivors, but the Survivors are Not benefiting from them. Close them ALL down NOW.
Right of Place charity launches appeal with a difference
A SUPPORT group for victims of clerical abuse that has received more than €3million from the taxpayer has admitted it has no idea where all the cash has gone.
The charity is now in the extraordinary position of asking anyone who has ever made a donation or received its help to get in touch so it can work out exactly how much money has gone missing.
The bizarre move comes after the HSE stepped in to appoint a temporary administrator to run Right of Place/Second Chance, which is carrying out a full investigation of its finances.
Tom Wall, a director of the Cork-based charity, said last night: ‘As bad as it sounds, we simply do not know exactly how much money the charity has received. And, more worryingly, we don’t know what it has done with the money.
‘I would urge anybody to get in touch with us and let us know how much money they gave us and when.’
He added: ‘There is a feeling at the charity that in the past it has not always acted in the best interests of its members and that is very regrettable.’
Tom Cronin, a survivor of institutional abuse at Presentation Brothers’ Greenmount Industrial School in Cork who helped set up the group in 1999, welcomed the internal audit, which he has been demanding since 2006.
He said last night: ‘Just who actually benefited from this charity is still something of a mystery. That is an outrageous situation and it has gone on for far too long.
‘I am delighted that the board are taking such a bold and innovative step as part of their determination to restructure the charity. I think it’s now just a matter of time before the gardaí are called in.’
Mr Cronin, who resigned from the board of directors in 2001, accused the Government of handing over vast amounts of Exchequer money for more than 10 years without bothering to find out where it was going.
‘The various departments who have given money to this charity have, in my opinion, being a bit relaxed when it comes to checks and balances,’ he said.
The Irish Daily Mail has learned that between 2001 and 2008 the Department of Education gave a total of €980,080 to Right of Place, which claims to represent 1,500 people.
A further €677,000 was received from the Department of Health between 2002 and 2005. Between 2006 and 2010, the HSE – which took over funding for the charity from the Department of Health – gave €1,498,723.
On top of the €3.1million in direct government funding, the charity also received €50,000 Lotto funding in 2003.
Controversially, it also accepted money from some of the very religious orders that ran institutions accused of abusing the people it claims to help.
The exact amount the various organisations gave is not publicly known but it is estimated at €300,000.
The Sisters of Mercy in Cork were involved in sourcing at least €20,000 for the charity but by last year they were demanding to know how the money was actually being spent.
In 2009, Sister Maria McGuinness from St Columba’s Convent in Cork wrote to the charity saying: ‘I would be grateful to receive the detailed breakdown of how the grant of €20,000 was spent.’
Other orders include Brothers of Charity, which gave €5,000 in 2000, the Sisters of Charity, which gave €10,000 in 2006, and the Congregation of the Brothers of Charity. The Galway-based charity donated €6,350 in 2002.
The Rosminians Institute of Charity in Drumcondra, Dublin, donated €5,000 the previous year.
The HSE last night denied ignoring how Right of Place administered taxpayers’ money.
A spokesman said: ‘During the period December 2009 to date, the HSE has worked with the organisation to bring about structure and good governance.
‘In May 2010 all parties signed an agreement which created a pathway to move forward. It provided a mechanism to democratically elect a new board of directors representative of the local committees of the organisation.’
She said the HSE would not be able to give details about its funding plans for Right of Place next year until the Budget has been announced.
Mr Wall said: ‘We are currently going through a major restructuring process. A major part of that is a detailed look at the charity’s finances.’
Hi Pauline,
These are their own rules, though im sure that they make them up as they go along, and only when it suits them.
If you look on their Web-Site under the heading Rules, you will see they are still pending. That Site is up and running now, for quite sometime, no reason Why their rules could not be displayed. This way they can make the rules to suit themselves as they go along.
They sent this Survivor out a membership form, Telling him he cannot be a member of any other group as a member of ROP. What he was actually doing was trying to get rid of this member, as he asks questions like me, and you are well aware, ROP do not like to be Quizzed. You have to be a YES person in ROP.
One member of the Board of Directors, in ROP Mr Tom Wall, is also on the Committee of The Group (Alliance) But you don’t hear any quibbles about that now, do you?
Again ROP makes up the rules as they go along, to suit themselves.
Another thing, the reason All these Groups agreed with the Statutory Trust Fund, is because they will all be funded from it, hence, they will all be getting their expenses as before.
Whoever tells you that they were against the Trust Fund, and fought against it is a Liar, if these sSo Called group leaders did what the Survivors wanted them to do, this Trust Fund would most likely have been squashed.
I will Guarantee you. when this New Statutory Trust Fund is Sanctioned, and up and running, the very first people to submit their papers for Funding will be, (Right of Place Second Chance) you wait and see. And so will ALL of the other Groups who (CLAIM) to represent Survivor Groups.
Thats great paddy thanks a lot now at least with the documents we might know whats what . you know mossy when i came to Ireland the same people went both to the aislin centre and the nova groups. why should any one person have rules madee to measure. whats the rules for or who. thanks paddy i am looking forward to reading the documents when you can put them on for all of us no matter where we are .
This information Paddy will be most welcome indeed. it may give us all some insight as to what this Funding is actually used for. Seen as these groups do not want to tell us, as the one word (Confidentiality) always seems to get in the way. It just about covers everything. How Apt.
For the information of everyone writing to this site and for general information. I’ve asked Mr. Ruairi Quinn, Minister for Education and Skills if I could have a copy of all documents relating to funding given to what have become known as ‘survivors representative groups’. I’ve also asked the Minister for all documentation relating to how this funding was spent. This request was made verbally in the presence of all groups and Minister Quinn said that “of course I could have the information’. I awaiting it as I write. Paddy.
Mr Michael Walsh.
I have it on very sound Authority, that you have recently sent out a leter to one of your Members, Saying to him, that he cannot be a member of ROPSC, and also a member of another group.
Can you please tell us all about your ( Rules) and where will we find them? I have combed your Web-Site from top to bottom, and i failed dismally to find them. They just are not there.
Also Sir, could you tell us Survivors, where we can review the Rules, as set down by your Board of Directors, as these cannot be found anywhere on your Web-Site either?
Can i now ask you personally Mr Michael Walsh, did you send the same letter to one of your New Board of Directors, Mr Tom Wall, who Incidentially is a Committee member of The Group (Alliance) and also is a serving member on The Board of Directors of the group, (Right of Place second Chance?) How very very weird, please explain. Is this not an example of one rule for one, and not for another?
Are you going to send these letters out to all of the members you say you have Legally on your Data-Base? And how do you know all of these people on your Data-Base are not members of other Groups Sir? You Couldnt know, so therefore i am suggesting, that you are Singling out this Particular member, because he poses a Big Threat to you and your (Illegal Board) Why? Because he dares to ask (questions,) questions that you all in (Right of Place second Chance) seem to have Great Difficulty in Answering, and this is Not the first time i have pointed this out to you.
I see also, that not only do ROP want salaries and expenses from the HSE, and the Department of Education & Skills, but they now want money from The Survivors, as you all seem to be falling on hard times, with all these cutbacks from Government Departments, and the country on its knees. After ROP squandering €3.2Million they have already received, and as yet No Accountability whatsoever? UNREAL.
They are trying to fool their (So Called Membership) that the organisation is run by Volunteers, and desperately in need of cash, and all the money they receive in Funding going towards their Huge expenses, and doing NOTHING. What a Total Waste of Taxpayers hard earned cash. Gangsters every one of them.
The membership would deerly like to know, what exactly happened to the €195.000 PA already received in funding, and the Rental Income from the Apartments of €65.000 +. Plus €60.000 which they receive from The Department of Education.
The only Beneficiaries in the whole Scam, is the Golden Circle, who have shares in The Golden Goose, ie The Board of Directors, and The Employees (Golden Circle) of the Company.
Survivors receive No Benefits, whatsoever from the employees of A (“Limited Company”) some of them who are not even Survivors. Who is trying to Kid who?
The only “assistance” they will get from the Survivors, is a BIG Unanimous Vote of No Confidence, and a Demand to close this (“Limited Company”) down.
The Administrator, of your Web-Site, and Outreach Officer, Mr Micheal Walsh, who is Not a Survivor, has a bloody cheek asking True Survivors to give them money, because that is exactly what they are doing. They are begging Survivors for money to keep them employed. It’s unbelieveable, just how Low, these people will stoop.
I wonder if i will get the usual Negative response from Mr Walsh, as i normally get. Like i said before, i am not going away, any time soon, until i show everyone, just what your real motives in ROP really are. We are not stupid like you may think.
Put your Rules of the Company, and any other Rules you may have, up on your Web-Site, so Survivors can see them for themselves, as it is very easy for you to change these Rules, when something is Not to your liking.
I will now attach a copy of the document, Mr Walsh, which you personally sent to this member, telling him he can only be a member of one group only. I have removed the members name to keep his identity intact.
Latest Reply to my unanswered Correspondence, prompted by an Official Complaint on the 15th July 2011 against Ruairi Quinn for ignoring Correspondence!
Only the Email sent to the Taoiseach forwarded for Ruairi Quinn to respond to are outstanding!
Still no takers for the Press Release?
The last Paragraph is very interesting “As responsibility for information for survivors will also be taken on by the Statutory Fund, funding of survivor groups by the Department will cease.” This may explain the change of Heart of Group Leaders?
Also interesting to note that they are apparently not funded on the Number of Members by the HSE, however this does not mention the Guidelines for Funding from the Cork City VEC.
What is not clear is who funds the Aislinn Centre?? There is also vagueness about the Role of the HSE in the Funding of the Aislinn Centre and Right of Place.
Can anyone shed any Light on this??
Regards Rob
________________________________________
Behalf Of Minister for Education & Skills
Sent: 17 August 2011 16:56
To: Robert Northall
Subject: 1102130/1102417
17 August 2011
PLEASE QUOTE REF NUMBER ON ALL CORRESPONDENCE
Our Ref: 1102130 /1102417
Dear Mr. Northall,
The Minister for Education and Skills, Mr. Ruairí Quinn T.D., has asked me to refer to your recent e-mails regarding the proposed Statutory Fund to support the needs of survivors of residential abuse, the funding and activities of certain support centres for survivors of abuse and related matters.
As you are aware, following the announcement of the proposal to utilise €110 million of the contributions being offered by the religious congregations to establish a Statutory Fund to support the needs of survivors, this Department undertook a detailed consultation process. Meetings were held with survivor representatives, religious congregations and other interested parties. In addition, over 250 individual responses were received in response to newspaper advertisements which invited views on the specific needs facing survivors and how the Fund could operate to assist in meeting those needs. You of course contributed your views to the consultation process in your e-mail of 27 August 2010.
The consultation process identified a range of views in relation to the establishment of a Statutory Fund including some views that the money should just be paid directly to former residents. However it also highlighted the fact that survivors continue to have many needs such as housing, medical services, etc. A copy of the report summarising the comments received as part of the consultation process is attached for your information. This can also be found on the Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?maincat=&pcategory=10861&ecategory=10876§ionpage=12251&language=EN&link=link001&page=1&doc=54351
Having given careful consideration to the views received as part of the consultation process the Government decided to proceed to establish the Statutory Fund. The draft General Scheme setting out the main features of the Bill providing for the Fund’s establishment is available on this Department’s website and any comments/submissions made on the Scheme would be welcome and will be considered. It is the intention that the draft Bill itself will be published in the autumn and enacted by the end of the year.
In relation to support centres for survivors and former residents of institutions, in a Press Release dated 5th July last, the Minister for Education and Skills indicated that “As responsibility for information for survivors will also be taken on by the Statutory Fund, funding of survivor groups by the Department will cease.” This Department provides limited funding to groups including Right of Place, Cork for an information and referral service and the allocation of funding to groups is not based on the number of members affiliated to any one particular group. Funding provided to Right of Place is administered through the Cork City VEC and the service of a co-ordinator is engaged to monitor and oversee this funding. The Department does not fund Aislinn and funding provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to Aislinn and Right of Place is a matter for that organisation. Issues such as the compliance, or otherwise, with statutory requirements are the responsibility of other State agencies. For example, the Office of the Revenue Commissioners has a role in ensuring that bodies which have been granted charitable tax exemption comply with any necessary requirements. It is noted that you have already been in contact with the Charities Section of the Revenue Commissioners in regard to this matter. The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner is the State agency responsible for upholding the rights of individuals as set out in the Data Protection Acts, and enforcing the obligations upon data controllers. You may wish to consider raising your concerns in regard to the operation of the centres in regard to membership lists, etc with the Commissioner’s office.
I trust that this information is of assistance.
Yours sincerely,
Bishop asks O’Callaghan to stay silent
By Claire O’Sullivan and Dan Buckley
Thursday, August 25, 2011
THE administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne has issued what amounts to a gagging order on its former child protection officer, Monsignor Denis O’Callaghan, as it emerged a local priest is receiving text messages from women who claim he molested them.
The priest, who has faced a string of sexual abuse allegations, has complained to north Cork gardaí that he is receiving unsolicited text messages.
Archbishop of Cashel and Emly Dr Dermot Clifford, Apostolic Administrator of Cloyne, has asked Mgr O’Callaghan not to make any further comment on his failure to implement child safety guidelines after he wrote a letter to the Irish Catholic newspaper seeking to explain his actions.
In the letter, Mgr O’Callaghan, the former diocesan child protection delegate, said he should have resigned his position rather than continue in a job where he disagreed with the child protection guidelines he was expected to enforce.
However, he insisted his primary focus was always on the pastoral care of “everyone suffering the consequences of sex abuse, primarily the victim but also the transgressor”.
Mgr O’Callaghan, who was criticised by the Murphy Commission for his inadequate handling of abuse allegations, wrote: “Judge Yvonne Murphy was made aware of the Cloyne commitment to pastoral care, but the commission focused on its remit of reporting on whether or not procedures were fulfilled.”
He also sought to justify his decision to ignore the mandatory requirement to report abuse allegations to the civil authorities on the grounds that, “for most of those priests accused in Cloyne the complaints alleged incidents dating back over 30 or 40 years”.
In response, Dr Clifford said he agreed Mgr O’Callaghan should have resigned once he decided he could not implement the 1996 Framework Document from the Catholic Bishops on safeguarding of children, as his bishop, Dr Magee, had agreed to implement it.
Meanwhile, the priest in receipt of text messages has told gardaí that they have been “very stressful” for him.
Two women, accompanied by solicitors, have been interviewed by gardaí in relation to the matter and a file is being sent to the DPP.
The victims expressed deep anger at the priest’s actions.
One woman said: “He is just playing the system again. Everything has been done by the Church for this man, and here he is causing us more pain all over again.”
Vatican has ‘dramatic’ plans for Irish Church
By Jennifer Hough
Saturday, August 13, 2011
THE Vatican is planning “something dramatic” for the Irish Church in the coming months which could see the number of dioceses significantly reduced and most of our current bishops replaced, it has been claimed.
Writing in the Irish Catholic, David Quinn, founder of the Catholic Iona institute, said “rumours” are circulating in Rome that a new, slimline hierarchy might be on the cards.
Mr Quinn said “we should hope and pray” that the Vatican is bold enough to make such a move because if the Church in Ireland is to have any hope of recovery then it needs a hierarchy that can look the public in the eye again.
It is not the first time such suggestions have been raised.
Theologian and former student of Pope Benedict XVI, Fr Vincent Twomey, emeritus professor of moral theology at Maynooth seminary, has also said we have too many dioceses — 26 — for such a small Catholic population.
“At the very most, 12 dioceses would be sufficient in Ireland, including a reduction of the size of the Archdiocese of Dublin to the present county boundaries,” he has said.
He suggested that the size and the nature of the Bishops’ Conference works against effective leadership at local or national level. Each bishop fears to tread on the toes of the others, not to mention criticise them.
He has also advocated for every Irish bishop appointed before 2003 to resign, claiming that the Catholic Church in Ireland has been without any leadership effectively for the last 15 years.
Raphoe report ‘to reveal abuse of hundreds of children in Donegal’
Thursday, August 11, 2011 – 07:09 AM
A new report is expected to reveal how 20 priests abused hundreds of children in a Co Donegal diocese over 40 years.
The report from the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church, into abuse in Raphoe, will be published later this month.
The contents of this report follow an audit of the diocese of Raphoe by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic church.
The report is expected to highlight hundreds of cases of abuse by 20 priests based in the diocese over a 40-year period, according to today’s irish Independent.
The report will also severely criticise the Church for a continued cover-up.
It is reported to have found that the Church was “uncooperative, obstructive and misleading when gardaí became involved in a number of investigations”.
This report follows the recent publication of the Cloyne report, which shed further light on the Church mishandling and cover-up of clerical sex abuse.
Vaccine trial files will not be transferred to HSE
By Conall Ó Fátharta
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
FILES relating to controversial vaccine trials carried out on children at a Mother and Baby Home run by the Sacred Heart Convent in Bessboro in Cork will not be transferred to the HSE.
In a letter seen by the Irish Examiner to one of the victims of the trials, Maureen Downey Hickey, who was later adopted to the US, the HSE confirmed that while it is to receive 15,000 adoption files from Bessboro, it “has been advised that immunisation records will continue to be the responsibility of the order”.
The Irish Examiner reported last week that as the former adoption agency has not applied for accreditation, and is not compelled to do so under the Adoption Act, its adoption files will remain the private property of the order and cannot be inspected by the Adoption Authority.
More than 210 infants and babies, some 123 of whom were in the care of the state, took part in three confirmed trials to test vaccines between 1960 and 1973.
A number of people sent to the US for adoption and adopted domestically have recently filed requests under the Data Protection Act, asking for medical files and any evidence of their participation in the trials run by the Wellcome Foundation — whose income came from British drugs maker Burroughs Wellcome, which was later subsumed into GlaxoSmithKline.
Now adults, the participants say the drugs were given without parental consent and they have spent years trying to access their medical files and pharmaceutical information.
The office of the Data Protection Commissioner confirmed it has been in touch with the Sacred Heart Sisters Order and was satisfied it is the data controller in this instance and is therefore subject to and has responsibilities under the Data Protection Act.
The Sisters of the Sacred Heart Order could not be contacted for comment last night.
One of the victims of the trials at Bessboro, Mari Steed, said it was “unacceptable” that files containing her medical history could be deemed the private property of a religious order.
“The idea that immunisation records cannot be transferred with the adoption files and are privately owned by the religious order in question is an absolutely unacceptable scenario,” Ms Steed said. “They were merely the broker or subcontractor for my care. Ultimately, the state contracted their services in shipping me to the USA.”
The Adoption Rights Alliance called on the Government to reinstate the inquiry and said “questions must be asked as to why the Sacred Heart Adoption Society did not supply the HSE with the files relating to vaccine trials”.
The Laffoy Commission on Child Abuse was investigating vaccine trials between 1940 and 1987 as part of a separate module.
However, the investigation was brought to a sudden halt after court action was taken by the doctors involved in the trials.
Its almost three weeks now since Right of Place held their meeting in the Imperial Hotel in Cork, which ended up a Total Farce, to say the least.
The minutes of this meeting were (Supposedly) recorded by the Outreach Officer, Ann-Marie Crean, (Non Survivor) To this date we have noted that, The minutes of this meeting, have yet to be posted on their Web-Site.
When one Survivor asked the question from the floor. “Who is taking the minutes of this meeting” The reply from Ann-Marie Crean was, “I am”
I am putting up a statement from your own Web-Site, which was added by your Chairman, Mr Michael Walsh, which clearly states his Intentions of being open, and honest to its members.
“The reason for the development of this website was to allow our member base to 1) Interact with each other and 2) To view any minutes from meetings or information that we send. We hope to be as open and as transparent as we possibly can be and as a result any information that we send out will be posted on this website for every member to view and to comment on.”
——————————————————————————————————–
These words Mr Michael Walsh, are from your own Web-Site, and we expect you as our (Supposed Leader) to honour them. We will be watching very very closely to see if indeed these are only just words, which we all have become so familiar with from, (Right of Place Second Chance) but with No Substance behind it, or not.
Ann-Marie, we the Survivors are waiting patiently for these minutes you said would be published, as stated on your Web-Site,
You were quick enough to publish the minutes of the Waterford meeting, which we have all noted are, The only minutes of the meetings you all held in all the different regions, IE, Galway, Limerick, etc.
Unless you all in (Right of Place) in Lower Glanmire road have something to hide, or maybe you are (EMBARRASSED) at the Battering you took from all of the Survivors at that meeting, and do not wish to look Foolish in other Survivors eyes, I suggest, you publish these minutes now.
We are all Anxiously waiting. The sooner, Sir the better.
For your Attention (AGAIN) Mr Michael Walsh.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of ROP/SC decided on his own, without consultation or agreement with the other members of the Board, to attend a recent meeting with Government, accompanied by none other than Francis Treanor, ‘Outreach worker’ for the organization.
The other members of the board were furious when they found out. It would appear that Mr Treanor, and Mr Walsh are playing a blinder; running the organization without the agreement and support from the (So Called) “elected members” of the board of directors”
A recent meeting held in the Limerick Branch of ROP/SC was run by guess who? Francis Treanor ( Galway) and Val Groak ( Galway ) Again, the members of the Board of Directors were kept in the dark about this meeting.
It would appear that the Chairman, Mr Michael Walsh does not need the “advice, opinion, and council” of his fellow board members all the time he has Francis Treanor, directing operations.
With their recent acquisition of charitable status the organization is breaking all the rules again associated with that status. A worker for the organization is making all governance decisions (WITHOUT) recourse to the Board of Directors who employ him. This is a classic case of ” the tail wagging the dog”. Why are we not surprised?.
Resign Mr Walsh?
You never were fit to be Chairman of ROP/SC, and you never WILL.
Very soon you won’t have a Board of Directors, as those remaining will vote you off.
You are letting a Mere Barrister tell you what to do. Some Trade union Man you are?
It looks more than likely now at this stage, that (Treanor) is completely running the whole show on his own. May i suggest my Walsh, you (EXIT LEFT)
For Mr Michael, Walsh’s Attention
When asked from the floor At his recent meeting, held in The Imperial Hotel in Cork, Mr Michael Walsh, Chairman of Right of Place Second Chance, stated that one of the Former Directors resigned for personal reasons. Yet when asked as to why the second Director, Mr Tom Brennan resigned, replied “ Oh I cant speak for him, or could not recall. But if Mr Michael Walsh reads the article from The Examiner below, it should refresh his memory. Have we refreshed your fading memory Mr Walsh?
From The Examiner, for Mr Walsh’s Fading Memory.
Late last year a new treasurer, Tom Brennan, said he could find no “record or evidence” of how anyone except a select inner circle benefited from the charity over a 10-year period.
Shortly after his appointment to the new board of directors, Mr Brennan resigned as he said he could not get answers to the questions he was asking.
However, in a recent newsletter to its members, Right of Place says Mr Brennan stepped down for “personal reasons”.
“I would like to make it very clear I did not step down for personal reasons,” he told the Irish Examiner. “This is more of the bluff and bluster from the new board and I want to put the record straight.”
The newsletter also attacks the Irish Examiner for “pursuing agendas” which it says have caused pain and hardship to survivors.
Ironically, the newsletter offers VEC computer courses, despite the fact that the Right of Place website was discontinued in recent months.
Meanwhile, several people who say they never signed up to be members of Right of Place but somehow ended up on the organization’s database have contacted the Irish Examiner.
A Magdalene survivor in her 70s, living in the US, requested to be taken off the database in 2009 but got no reply and still receives correspondence.
The woman says she never signed up to be a member of Right of Place and the only person she gave her details to was a solicitor travelling in the US with the charity’s founder Noel Barry.
The woman said her concern was that someone had given her private and confidential information to the organization without her permission.
Right of Place claims to have 1,500 members and has been funded accordingly.
Former treasurer Mr Brennan said he asked to see a database of survivors on several occasions but said he was never given access to it.
Another point of note for Mr Michael Walsh. In the minutes of your meeting in Waterford when questioned about how Mr Francis Treanor, secured the Top Job as outreach Co-Coordinator, you stated in your reply, (“MW (answered) Mr Treanor applied for this position as did all members who had this right. Apparently no other person applied for this post.) I cannot understand your reply, you say first, Mr Treanor applied for this position, as did all members who had this Right, and then you go on to say (APPARENTLY) No other person applied for this post. You are obviously laying yet again Mr Walsh, is quite clear, you do not know what you are talking about, you contradicted yourself.
One other thing before I finish Sir. We are all STILL waiting for your Outreach Officer, who said she took the minutes of the last meeting you held in The Imperial Hotel in Cork, to be put up on your Web-Site, so everyone can Clearly see what actually happened at that meeting. Or would it be Sir, you are all Bloody well ashamed of yourselves, and afraid by telling the Truth that your meeting was a Shambles, and you all took a jolly good Hammering from the Survivors who attended.
Come on Mr Walsh, show us all what kind of a man you are, or perhaps not. We wont be holding our breath, as you most likely wont put it up. It might dent your pride. We will see.
Pauline, i am gone Blue in the face asking these Gangsters these questions every single day. You may be assured, Mr Walsh’s Legal Advisor, Treanor has him well briefed not to answer any important questions like that, for fear of incriminating himself. Treanor is obviously there to make sure the other fellow does not put his foot in it.
We will have to send our future emails to the Data-Protection Ombudsman, and the Ministers from now on, because i think the only way to get answers to this whole saga is Legally.
If there was any way our assumptions were incorrect, you can rest assured that Treanor would be talking to us already.
Why are thay being funded for legal advisers. If the funding is paying for that its really whierd. After all referring people to different services is giving phone calls mainly. so whats the excuse for that.
Its high time this whole question, surrounding the group (Right of Place Second Chance) and their Controversial Data-Base was brought out into the light, and some minister with some Real Concern started to look into the whole group that purport to speak for 1,750 Survivors.
These ministers see every day for themselves, the Survivors who write into all these Sites, complaining of their details being held on this groups (Illegal Data-Base) I cannot understand WHY no one is willing to look into the matter. Could it so be, that they, the Politicians have their own reason for ignoring the calls of Survivors for their own reasons?
Mr Michael Walsh, and his Legal advisor, Mr Francis Treanor tried to hold a meeting last week in The Imperial Hotel in Cork. They got a very Hot reception from the Survivors who attended that meeting. Mr Walsh was asked, time and time again to explain, Where his Controversial Data-Base originated? He made multiple excuses, but never answered the question.
I wonder, if that is why, his legal adviser, Mr Francis Treanor never leaves his side? It seems that where ever Mr Michael Walsh goes, Mr Francis Treanor is beside him. They are like little and large. Between the both of them, they never answered one question truthfully. What is going on here? The most puzzling thing about this saga is, the HSE still continues to fund this group, Regardless of all the complaints from Survivors.
We are all getting really fed up now with these arrogant and tight lipped Chairmen, with their legal representatives watching them in case they put their foot into it. Survivors have Enough of your type of politics, Survivors have a Right to know WHERE you got your Data-Base from, and How it was put together. And we all want answers NOW.
You pointed out at your meeting Mr Walsh that, the old (Right of Place) had gone, and also everything else attached to it. Did that mean also that The Data-Base they used was also gone? I would guarantee the answer to that question is NO.
Survivors are of the opinion Sir, that (Right of Place Second Chance) are using the very same Data-Base as Mr Noel C Barry used when he was Chairman of that group, and if that be the case Sir, what you are all doing is no doubt (ILLEGAL)
I do hope your Legal advisor is aware of that?
Has the HSE got something to hide? It certainly seems like it. Why does the HSE not query this Data-Base they hear so much arguments about? Are you saying to us Survivors, you dont matter, but then it has always been that way, hasn’t it Mr Treanor? Was it not you who said to us Survivors before, “ The membership of the company are a Non entity, they have No rights per say” do you recall that sir, because i do, and so do we all.
I am under the impression, that all in that Office in Lower Glanmire Road, known as (Right of Place Second Chance) have quite a lot to hide, and i am asking you all to come clean, once and for all, because you may rest assured that sooner or later the whole truth will be revealed, but by then it will be too late.
I suppose that you have already told the HSE that your meeting in The Imperial Hotel in Cork last week was a great success, and that hundreds attended? I would love to find out just How much in expenses you lot claimed for that outing, and i would bet, it’s all coming out of Survivors funds, isn’t that correct?
We are all still waiting for the minutes of your last meeting in Cork to be displayed, to see how many more of your lies you will have the Cheek to print, because you seem to have become quite Professional at it, since taking over as (So Called Chairman) You will All be found out eventually, and i am just waiting for that day. I know you will all be reading this, so please do enjoy.
Having read some of the letters here, I am so hurt and disappointed that there is no where to go. I live in Ireland but there is nothing more I can do records have gone missing hospital records do not count and even with this so called trust fund who can access it. It will go to a group I never asked for or offered help I feel that it would be more benefit if the monies collected when it happens should be given to the survivors of institutional abuse directaly not to pay a salorie of someone who is at the end of the phone or email. It is so wrong that all these reports yet nothing happens. I want to know when do the mental hospitals come to the rador as they performed some of their own abuses yet they are not accountable. Can anyone in Ireland tell me why??? Where do you get practical help I want to train to be a counsellor but the cost is so expensive can I apply to this so called trust fund set up in my name???? Margaret.
I live in NZ and put in an original claim while visiting Ireland, heard nothing, later resubmitted an application from NZ and it was declined. Went back via an Irish Lawyer and got my original claim accepted. I and four of my sisters all were awarded a percentage of the amount of compensation that is being quoted as average by RIRB and there has been no contribution from Ireland for counselling or medical help for Irish Survivors living in New Zealand and Australia. We do not have a medical card system or free counselling for such issues.
Sorry paddy but i have reread the thing on facebook and it seems that a group in the midlands is the ones allready getting funded.
hello paddy i have just read on facebook that the outreach service is already being funded by the government in expection of the staturary fund. and it says that the other exclusive groups are next . the staturary fund is still not available but thay are distributing money. of course the outreach services is in england so the framework as decided by the government isimpossable for any survivers outside london. its apparently up to the survivers to be able to find a home in london. or be ignored .but since thay all claim that thay only represent members of each group. so if we do or dont sign on we are not survivers . so what are we for the newspapers we are all represented. thats what thay print so thats what thay want people to believe.but the fact that the main body of survivers are ignored is rarely printed. what will go down in history.
The Formal Submission of the Petitions to Dissolve the Statutory Fund can be viewed @ https://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=147073735313917&topic=312
I have tried to post it here but cannot get past the “Spam Guard” Even with Links Removed
thanks very much Rose for the information. im not surprised as from what i have understood the groups are mainly family affairs. mr walch and son informed us that thier group includes aunts and oncles and thier children.the waters family is also a family buisness as there is mrs and junier. and familys. that doesnt leave much time for others. and then there is mrs buckley and her children.so these people seem to be the only ones who benefit from the monnies spent on the survivers. The state doesnt seem to want to know anything about thr rest of us.all the people who signed the petition are alive so its real. its awfull to learn whats happening from newspapers especally since you live in Ireland. i know that without paddys site we would all be lost while thay are pinning medels on the so called leaders.
Pauline, There are many many survivours in Ireland who have never benefitted in any way from these so called groups who claim to represent us, and we won’t benefit from any fund either. This statutory fund is only the government playing with victims minds while fleecing us.
Would mr ryne please let us know who these people represent. i have never met any group leader interested in my needs. in fact if it wasent for paddys site i wouldnt even know that thay were still there.im 65 years old and the staturary fund is only for the survivers living in Ireland.whats the point. does that mean that all survivers who left the country are to continue being ignored except for a xmas card every 4 years or so. many left ireland in fear of a lifetime of abuse in the instutions.i am not represented by anyone as i get all my information off this site. did mr ryne ask paddy to meet up to discuss things. otherwise he can only speak for people such as mrs buckley the world famous star of goldenbridge who does seem to agree that a fund in order to finance these groups is the best that thay can do for all survivers. i disagree as thay are not surviving but getting rich on our backs.
Daingean Gaolers denies withholding €20m from abuse victims’ fund.
A Key religious congregation contributing to the special fund for victims of institutional abuse has rejected suggestions that millions of euro in compensation was being withheld. The Oblates of Mary Immaculate confirmed it has €20 million in a special account waiting to transfer to a victims’ trust as soon as the Government could take it. But so far the state has failed to set up this trust, despite promising it after the publication of the Ryan Report almost two years ago.
The contribution would double the amount already signed over to an account set up in advance of the proposed €110m statutory trust for former residents of institutions run by religious orders.
Provincial of the Order, Fr William Fitzpatrick, denied suggestions that religious orders had failed to fulfil their promises simply because the account set up by the Government had so far only received €20.6m — less than a fifth of what was expected.
Fr Fitzpatrick said he received a letter from the department earlier this month which suggested progress on the issue was pending. “I can speak for the Irish Oblates and say we have promised €20m cash. However, we are still waiting for the Government to establish the trust, which was announced in May 2009. The money has been placed in a designated account and will be paid as soon as the account is set up by the Government.”
The departmental letter to Fr Fitzpatrick said a new law will be brought to Government to advance the matter. “The department has, following a comprehensive consultation process, prepared proposals together with a General Scheme of a Bill to provide for the Statutory Fund, which will be submitted to the minister and Government.”
The Oblates had €82m in assets at the time a Government panel assessed the value of the portfolios held by the 18 religious orders. However, it did not have the vast property portfolio of other bodies and instead opted to pay cash by way of compensation. More than half of its 46 members in Ireland are older than 70. –
By Conor Ryan, Friday, April 15, 2011
ALL SURVIVOR GROUPS CLAIM TO BE REPRESENTING SURVIVORS,
OK THEN IF THIS IS SO, WHY DONT THESE GROUPS PUT IT TO THE GOVERNMENT IN ALL HONESTY THAT ALL NEEDS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN DOWN SINCE THIS WHOLE THING BEGAN AND ARE STILL AWAITING THOSE NEEDS TO BE MET FOR OVER TEN YEARS.
IF THESE GROUPS ARE DOING WHAT THEY CLAIM TO BE DOING THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD EXAMINE THE RECORDS THESE GROUPS SAY THEY HAVE ON EVERY SINGLE SURVIVOR.
IT WAS SAID ON YAHOO NEWS THE IRISH GOVERNMENT ARE THE LEAST TRUSTED BY IT’S PEOPLE, THIS IS NOT NEWS TO EVERY SURVIVORS BUT FACTS ON HOW THEY HAVE TREATED US SO FAR.
THE 1.36 BILLION IS JUST A FRACTION OF WHAT SURVIVORS HAD EARNED THE CHURCH AND STATE BY THEIR CHILDHOOD, ON LABOUR ALONE.
NOW WE HAVE EARNED THE GOVERNMENT OFFICES A FORTUNE ON THE JOBS INVENTED TO DEAL WITH THIS WHOLE ISSUE, LIKE WISE THE MEDIA, LIKE WISE THE SOLICITORS’ OFFICES LIKEWISE THE SO CALLED GROUPS.
WHEN WE WERE GIVEN THE LOOSE CHANGE AND SENT AWAY BEING WARNED NOT TO TELL ANYONE, ( SOUNDS SO FAMILIAR )
SO AS YOU CAN SEE FROM COMMON SENSE THIS 1.36 BILLION IS NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT THEY ACTUALLY OWE US.
THEY HAVE SAVED A FORTUNE YET AGAIN.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF HOMES BE IT COUNCIL/ PRIVATE HOMES EMPTY ALL OVER IRELAND NOW HOW STUPID IS THIS?
WE ARE IN A CRISES YET HERE WE HAVE SURVIVORS WHO ARE HOMELESS, LIVING IN DREADFUL CONDITIONS, IF THIS GOVERNMENT MET THESE NEEDS THEY STILL GET PAID AS WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY RENT, WHAT A WASTE WHAT A DISGRACE OF SHOCKING POLITICS.
JUST THINK SURVIVORS WOULD BE ABLE TO PAY RENT, PAY THEIR BILLS ETC JUST LIKE MANY MAINSTREAM FAMILIES.
YOU ARE NOT SURVIVING IF YOU HAVE NOT GOT A PLACE YOU CAN CALL HOME YOU ARE “JUST” ALIVE.
ALL THE NEEDS ARE THERE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO SEE.
IF A GOVERNMENT FIGURE HAS A BUSINESS AND RUNNING THE COUNTRY THEN WE ALL HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS AND ASK WHY VOTE FOR THOSE WHO LOOK TO PLEASE THEMSELVES.
THIS SHOULD BE MADE ILLEGAL AS THEY ARE ALREADY EARNING, AND THESE JOBS CAN GO TO THE PEOPLE WHO CAN FOCUS JUST ON THIS COUNTRY.
Nothing changes. Their apologies mean absolutely nothing. They will never listen and learn because they do not want to.
Bellow is the Dismissive Reply from the Minister of Education to the Petitions; 713 Signatures between 2 Petitions!
From: Reid, Susan [mailto:Susan_Reid@education.gov.ie] On Behalf Of Minister for Education & Skills
Sent: 28 April 2011 15:42
To: Robert Northall
Subject: RE: formal submission of the “Petition to Dissolve the Statutory Trust Fund and have the Money Paid Directly to the Survivors”.
Mr. Robert Northall
Rob.Northall@ntlworld.com
PLEASE QUOTE REF NUMBER ON ALL CORRESPONDENCE
Our Ref: 1102130
Dear Mr. Northall
The Minister for Education & Skills, Mr. Ruairí Quinn, TD, has asked me to thank you for your recent email in relation to the proposed Statutory Fund.
Following the publication of the Ryan Report, the then Taoiseach called on the religious congregations to commit to making further substantial contributions by way of reparation. Having considered the report of the independent Panel appointed to assess statements of their affairs submitted by the Congregations and the responses of the Congregations, the Government outlined its view that the overall costs of the response to residential institutional abuse should be shared on a 50:50 basis between the taxpayer and those responsible for the residential institutions. This is on the basis that the cost of redress, including awards made by the Redress Board, is likely to reach €1.36 billion.
Following the announcement by the previous Government of its intention to establish a Statutory Fund using €110 million of the offers made by the religious congregations to establish a Statutory Fund to support the needs of survivors, the Department undertook a wide ranging consultation process, meeting with groups representing survivors of institutional abuse, the religious Congregations and other interested parties. Press advertisements also invited views and submissions as to the exact nature of the fund, how it will operate and the uses to which it will be put.
Having considered the views expressed during the consultation process, the Department has prepared proposals together with a General Scheme of a Bill to provide for the Statutory Fund. These proposals will need to be submitted to the Minister and the Government.
The position in relation to the cash contributions is that the sum of €20.6 million has been received and placed in a special interest bearing account in the Central Bank pending the establishment of the Statutory Fund. The remaining congregations are awaiting confirmation that the legislation will provide for the charitable status of their contributions to the Fund or sight of the proposed terms and structure of the Fund, prior to making their initial contributions. The offers of contributions envisaged that these contributions would be made over a period of years.
I hope this information is of assistance to you.
Yours sincerely
Ronnie Ryan
Private Secretary
Not a whole lot of difference in the ‘new’ Government’s approach compared to the previous government – in other words we are being kept on the back burner while the needs of the Religious Orders [child abusers] are being looked after.
Notwithstanding any or all of the issues the Fund adresses or not the persons concerned, I note that:
“…The remaining congregations are awaiting confirmation that the legislation will provide for the CHARITABLE STATUS OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FUND or sight of the proposed terms and structure of the Fund, prior to making their initial cash contributions…”
Call me cynical, but does that not stink to high heavens of the “spirit” which drives their actions and inactions? Is this about Tax Relief? Or Public Relations to the world and the pious Catholics? Or is meant the mea-culpa / assuage their Guilt?
THE NEEDS OF EVERY SURVIVOR AND HIS/HER FAMILY MUST BE ADDRESSED AND SATISFIED. LET IT COME OUT OF CATHOLIC CHURCH PROPERTY (IN OR OUT OF NAMA),
A GENERAL LEVY (THE GOVERNMENT CAN DO IT IN INSURANCES!) OR THE VATICAN DIRECTLY.
NO MORE QUESTIONS ASKED.
PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME.
WHERE IS THE MILLIONS THE RELIGIOUS ALREADY PAID THE GOVERNMENT? THE GOVERNMENT WHO INVENTED AS THEIR 50% TOWARDS THE COSTS OF REDRESS ETC. I HATE TO GO ON ABOUT THIS AS IT IS NOT THE MONEY BUT THE PRINCIPLE OF TRUTH IN DEALING WITH US, “CALL US WHAT YOU WILL,SURVIVORS/WITNESSES” OF CRIMES AGAINST OUR CHILDHOOD BY BOTH STATE AND CHURCH.
WILL THIS GOVERNMENT AND THE RELIGIOUS MAKE IT CLEAR FOR ONCE ARE YOU BOTH SAYING NOW THAT YOU ARE ONLY 50% RELIABLE TOWARD THE ABUSE OF CHILDREN OR ARE YOU BOTH 100% RELIABLE? WE DESERVE THIS TO BE EXPLAINED AND NOW.
WHY DO US WHO HAD OUR CHILDHOOD TOTALLY DESTROYED HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS SICK ATTITUDE OF BOTH GOVERNMENT AND CHURCH BY NOT OWNING UP 100%.
BECAUSE,
1. HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT WHO APOLOGIZED IN PUBLIC AS SO DID THE CHURCH FOR THIS DISGUSTING ABUSE OF CHILDREN IN THEIR CARE, AND CLAIM THAT EACH WILL ONLY PAY 50% ?
2. DOES THIS MEAN YOU EACH ONLY CLAIM 50% FAULT AND THE CHILDREN THE OTHER 50%?
MR QUINN SIR
HOW FOR A MAN WHO CLAIMED TO CHAMPION THE CAUSE FOR SURVIVORS, “NOW IN POWER” CAN YOU NOW SAY YOU SPOKE TO SURVIVOR GROUPS AND RELIGIOUS REGARDING THIS MONEY FOR ONLY 110 MILLION “A FRACTION OF WHAT WAS PAID TO THE GOVERNMENT” ALREADY.
1. SINCE YOU HAVE RECEIVED 400 MILLION OR SO FROM THE RELIGIOUS WHY THEN DO “( WE )” HAVE YET TO WAIT FOR OUR NEEDS TO BE MET.
2. AS A SURVIVOR I HAVE YET TO MEET ANY GOVERNMENT FIGURE OR RELIGIOUS ONE.
3. WHY DO YOU TALK TO GROUPS ON MY BEHALF YET EVEN YOU DO NOT KNOW ME, I BELIEVE THIS IS AN ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR VERY VERY SIMILAR TO THE SAME BEHAVIOR OF OUR CHILDHOOD.
4. YOU NEVER KNEW THE CHILDREN’S NAMES THEN EITHER, I SEE THIS AS A VERY FATAL YET VITAL STATEMENT AND SO TRUE TO THIS CAUSE YOU ARE NEGLECTING AS A RESPONSIBILITY ONCE AGAIN CAUSING THE VERY SAME HURT TO THE ADULT LIVES OF THOSE WHO AS CHILDREN SUFFERED THROUGH THE EXACT SAME NEGLECT OF HUMANITY.
5. OUR HUMAN RIGHTS ARE BEING VIOLATED BY THE VERY SAME ACTIONS HERE YOU ARE TRUSTING PEOPLE YOU CALL SURVIVOR GROUPS/ REPRESENTATIVES, WHAT POLICE CHECKS HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT ON THEIR BACKGROUNDS SINCE THIS IS ABOUT SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY, AND WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DID THEY HAVE AS THIS IS SUCH A POWERFUL YET SENSITIVE ISSUE?
6. WHEN IS THE NEW REPORT ON THIS LATEST NEGLECT OF THE VERY SAME GOING TO BE PUBLISHED?
WHEN WE ARE ALL DEAD? LONG GONE?
WHY NOT CONTACT THE REDRESS BOARD WHO HAS ALL THE DETAILS OF SURVIVORS AND HOW THEY SUFFERED AND LET THEM SEND THE MONEY OUT TO SURVIVORS, WHY WASTE MONEY OUR MONEY ON NONSENSE?
WE ARE TOO OLD FOR THIS EDUCATION FUND WE ARE JUST BUSY TRYING TO SURVIVE DAY TO DAY.
THOSE OF US ON WELFARE DESERVE TO HAVE OUR NEEDS MET, NOT BY THIS USELESS STATUARY FUND BUT BY A WELL ENTITLED SUPPORT TO SEE OUR NEEDS MET WITHOUT THE RED TAPE WRAPPING EVERY THING UP.
MY NEW BABY WAS REFUSED THE NEEDS SUCH AS COT, PUSH-CHAIR AND CLOTHING BESIDES EVERY THING A BABY NEEDS, WE ARE LIVING ON SECOND HAND RUBBISH. YET OTHERS IN MAINSTREAM SOCIETY HAVE GOT THEIRS YET THEY DRIVE BIG NEW CARS AND THE SUCH LARGE SUPPORTIVE FAMILIES.
IS THIS WHY WE ARE ADVISED TO MAKE KNOWN REDRESS? SO IT CAN BE USED AGAINST US?
WE ARE A SMALL MINORITY YOU CAN AFFORD TO PUT THIS RIGHT FOR ONCE IN THE LIVES OF HUMAN-BEINGS.