Details of abuse redress board fees revealed

[Rob Northall]

Sunday 10 July 2016 15.18

The Residential Institution Redress Board has awarded nearly €1bn in compensation

A detailed breakdown of multi-million euro payments to legal firms as well as payments to members of the Residential Institutions Redress Board have been published for the first time.

Set up on 16 December 2002, the board's aim was to hear evidence from people who were abused while they were children living in institutions run by a number of religious orders. Rather than face the difficult route of taking High Court actions, the Residential Institution Redress Board members would hear the victims in a non-adversarial environment and make an offer of financial compensation.

Around 15,500 people have taken claims seeking redress.

On average they have secured compensation of around €62,000.

The single largest payment was just over €300,000.

In total, nearly €1bn has been awarded in compensation.

The board has also paid legal fees to firms who assisted victims in taking their case.

Nearly one thousand firms have received a total of around €200m.

A detailed breakdown of the figures by RTÉ News has revealed the top ten legal firms involved:

The ten firms and the Law Society were contacted to see if they wanted to comment.

Three firms replied: Hanahoe Solicitors, Tracey Solicitors and Matthew Gold.

In a detailed response, Hanahoe Solicitors pointed out that as well as the its own fees, the payments also covered thousands of medical and expert reports as well as witnesses, barristers’ fees and court costs.

All three firms pointed out that the costs were approved by the board and were examined by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

For the first time, the Residential Institutions Redress Board also released to RTÉ News the details of the payments made to its members since they joined.

When it was estimated the cost of the scheme would be around €300-400m, an agreement was reached between the then government and the Conference of Religious in Ireland.

In 2002, it was agreed that 61 properties would be transferred from the orders to the State or social organisations in addition to some cash.

The latest figures show that 14 years later 14 properties have still to be transferred from the religious orders.

A subsequent request was also made by the previous government to the orders to increase their contributions.

While some has been forthcoming, it is still far short of the €700m that would equate to the orders and the State paying an equal share of the costs involved.

Source - http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0710/801461-redress-board-costs/

[Rob Northall]

Pretty obvious who the BIG winners were at the Redress Board!

The Solicitors!

[Elizabeth Nicholas]

hello Rob,   the Solicitors and the other Professionals were laughing all the way to the bank. 

[Rob Northall]

"Redress Board members would hear the victims in a non-adversarial environment"

That's Utter BULLSHIT

[Geraldine Jackson]

so why was certain people who ran so called services for survivors allowed into the redress board rooms who appeared to be expecting and waiting for a survivor who had only flown into Dublin from England after 40 years to intimidate her and shout at her,and Bully her leaving the returning survivor even more traumatised ,  This was allowed , where was the supposed security ??? It was all a nasty setup , 

[William Delahunty]

No doubt Robert there the ones that made the rules and gave survivors one option take it or leave it
SURVIVORS MATTER

[jack colleton]

Can These Law Firms Not Now Give Something Back To Survivors Who Have Not Had Justice ...  Outstanding Issues?

[Rob Northall]

I think the changes are wrong the Trust Fund has been mismanaged and clients if the Aisling Centre and Right of Place have been given priority over other Survivors and have therefore had the "Lions Share" of the Cake!

[Geraldine Jackson]

I went to the Aislinn Centre on a 1st visit back to Ireland after hearing about it from a total stranger on the Ferry who happened to be talking about the Abuses in the Industrial schools he mentioned a certain school so I went to the centre for Info I was told by the person running it that  certain Solicitor friends of hers have offered to take cases on  for Nothing it would not cost me a Euro because they felt shocked and wanted to help the survivors .so I went there  to see them ,which was a huge mistake  I feel used and lied to, I was spending a fortune on Flights ,Taxi's and Hotels every time I went to see them ,I suffered further awful abuses which I will write about I will close this chapter saying survivors of  Sadistic Abuses have all been Used Abused Robbed again, None got Justice at all, >> except the chosen few who were given funding to run so called services for the survivors BUT went laughing all the way to their Banks along with their Friends the Solicitors especially  ONE> in Dublin. 

[Geraldine Jackson]

I would love to know just who were the people sitting on the Redress Board and how much they paid themselves ,was there any Nun's or Priests ?? For I hear survivors came away suffering  from further abuse they felt Bullied ,that led to Depression , Heart Attacks,  Suicide .Do not forget the Children worked hard labour in those Industrial schools as Slaves say they were forced to make 600 Rosary Beads ,knitting Jumpers and socks for export, Glewing brown paper bags for outside shops they slaved day in day out every day for years and do all the Laundry for the schools ,Convents, and Hotels, including  scrubbing  and Polishing all the building ,making Boot's ,Shoes, Farm work, and a lot more beside .as well as been Starved ,Neglected ,Beaten ,Whip'd, Raped ,Sexually abused,  So how can the Corrupt politicians work out that Payouts from 5  Euros to 63  is supposed to compensate  the Slaves for years of hard Work payouts that would not even pay for one days wages for all the work for all those years of working for the Church making them and the State wealthy  The Inmates  slavery ( who were children) allowed he Church to buy up huge  amounts of Property all over  Ireland and abroad and the same  goes for the Bent Politicians and their Lawyers .  They all Danced with the Devil and will dance with him again one day. 

[Geraldine Jackson]

and Mrs Mizon, don't forget . she got paid unless she was an Angel who did it out of Love and Caring , >I don't think. 

[Geraldine Jackson]

why were those on the redress board to throw insults at the survivor who was already very Nervous and alone , 

[Geraldine Jackson]

I have friends and a couple of family members who have family who were in Consentration Camps or their Perents were that was run by the Nazi's  in Germany ,Poland ,They said the compensation payouts by the Irish State and RC Church to children who were locked up in (Their words in Consentration Camps) known as Industrial Schools in Ireland is nothing but an Insult and Robbery ,They would never have excepted that treatment ,  and worse they the State and Church got rid of the many Buildings either demolished them or sold them on to Developers cheep to convert into Housing all for Profit for the State after the children Paid for them with their Slave Labour for years , Each Survivor should have been awarded at least One Million _ 5 Million as > ) .- 62 ,000Euros buy's a Car ,so Insulting and downright Robing the Vulnerable Survivors who were spending thousand's going over to Ireland each time ,Hotels were not cheep anyway it is their Country Not the Roman Cargolic Church in Italy, Nor the Currupt Politicans or Bent Lawyers , I bet those running the groups didn't  except a few Euros ?? + Threaths made against them to keep Silent, > >> All Tyranny Needs to gain a Foothold is for Good men of good Concience to remain Silenced,