To Whom It May Concern:
We have recently learnt that an Independent audit of the assets of 18 religious congregations which were party to the controversial 2002 redress agreement with the State is to be presented to the Government on the 24th June 2009.
The congregations, whose management of residential institutions for children which led to the recent Ryan Commissions Report, agreed to the audit at a meeting in Government Buildings on June 5th last with Taoiseach Brian Cowen and senior Ministers.
The congregations agreed at that meeting to contribute to a trust the Taoiseach proposed be set up, so that further financial and other supports can be provided to people who had been in the institutions as children.
It appears that the aforementioned meetings with the Taoiseach Brian Cowen and senior Ministers are being held without survivor – led organisations.
Therefore, it appears that there will be another “Secret Deal” as the one negotiated by the former Education Minister Michael Woods, and the Religious Orders, which between them were responsible for the physical and sexual assault of thousands of children over a period of 75 years, which the Religious Orders have paid only €128m of the total compensation bill – itself now expected to reach over €1. 3billion.
In addition the total bill in relation to the Ryan Commissions Report is expected to reach over €70million.
The rest of the aforementioned figure is paid by the taxpayer and many firms of Solicitors and Barristers will be paid up to €250million in costs by the time the Redress Board compensation is finished.
It should be quite clear to the Taoiseach Brian Cowen, the Minister for Education Batt O’ Keeffe, the Minister for Health Mary Harney, the Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern and the Minister for Children Barry Andrews and others that there has always been great difficulty, even for the State, in estimating the value of lands belonging to the Religious Orders, particularly the assets of the Christian Brothers, who have sold off large tracts of land and like the other Religious Orders, they have invested in shares.
The Taoiseach Brian Cowen and the aforementioned Ministers know quite well there is a web of ownerships and trusts attached to the properties – and many of the ownerships are shared between the religious orders and school parent’s bodies.
If you take lands belonging to operative schools, you could have legal actions from parents and boards.
Many of the 18 Congregations property assets are held by trusts and, since they are charitable organisations, they do not have to file accounts or tax returns, so they can hide their wealth and assets.
It’s quite clear that the Taoiseach Brian Cowen and the aforementioned Ministers have overlooked their failure to understand that little if any of the Religious Orders assets can be turned into hard cash.
Albert King on behalf of Mary King. (victim of institutional child abuse).
Dear Paddy,
I spent 14yrs in confinement in Kilkenny & Artane, & this Father Moore WOULD NOT KNOW HIS huain from his elbow. As for trades, it was virtually slavery. I uploaded an extensive amount of info & a little satire re “bedtime stories at the Vatican” to Barry Clifford, a few minutes ago.
I was born on my mothers fam farm at Balavass, Castledermot Co Kildare 1943. Father was of Norman decent, mother dark and of Jewish decent. Late in 1945 a police Sergeant Cody came to our farm to take me away, my pregnant mother objected, so Police Sergeant hit her, so I kicked him, bit a chunk out of his hand. I received a broken nose & cuts to my face, was dragged to police station-wagon placed in dog compartment to Carlow Police Station, spent night in cell with drunks, very polite to me, police swore at me, made derogatory references re my mother, black whore etc, no medical treatment. In court following morning, stood on a chair in the box, very frightened, sent to St Pat’s Centre, Kilkenny Convent, Terrible Place. At three years of age I had a criminal record.
Can’t say it all now. The victims support groups are a sham & scam the victims who stay at their alleged safe inexpensive houses. I wrote to the Taoiseach. I wonder when they will charge me with Heresy. Hope to hear from you
Regards Twisted Oliver
Ireland is not, in fact, a democracy. As a so-called Christian culture, it just appears to be a more civilised country than it actually is. Its only a matter of time before the whole system implodes in on itself.
Well we must appeal to their Christian morality on this matter …. hold the f… wtf! They NEVER had any morals. While this saga has been ongoing from the apology in 1999 these Orders have been gradually ‘shedding’ properties and in the process any responsibility.
I can’t speak for others Martha. I was so preoccupied with preparing my own case for the Redress Board that I didn’t read the Act. The gagging clause should have been brought to the attention of individuals to before the Board by their solicitors/lawyers. That’s what they got vast sums of money for. Isn’t it?
Given that we are supposed to be living in a democracy we are all entitled to our views/opinions.
What most Irish people don’t seem to realise is that the men and women who make up the Irish Government – and have done for since the so-called Irish Free State was formed -are even MORE dehumanised than the survivors of the Catholic Industrial Schools. So, to expect justice from that Mob is somewhat naive!