Order told State to scrap vow on abuse redress

[Maurice Heaphy]

Order told State to scrap vow on abuse redress

Monday, November 04, 2013

The Government was told to scrap its pledge on the cost of the child abuse redress scheme before the most powerful religious order in education would discuss school patronage.

• By Conor Ryan

Investigative Correspondent

The demand was revealed in newly released records of a three-year stand-off between the State and congregations covered by the indemnity deal. 

The Government’s original plan had been to pursue the transfer of school properties from religious orders to bridge a perceived €500m shortfall in contributions to the redress scheme. The Sisters of Mercy said no. 

The 2011 Programme for Government said the transfers would be used to get the orders to cover 50% of the €1.5bn redress bill. 

In July, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn got Cabinet approval for a more conciliatory tack that would allow congregations to remain in control of schools but relinquish title to the land. 

According to a policy proposal put to Mr Quinn in February, the new strategy was designed to move the schools’ property debate away from the battle to get congregations to accept the 50:50 redress bill principle. 

The softer stance came after more than three years of fractious negotiations which commenced following the publication of the Ryan Report. 

The correspondence between Mr Quinn, his department, and the 18 orders covered under the indemnity deal has now been deemed eligible for release under the Freedom of Information Act. These revealed the frosty exchanges between the sides. 

The most significant struggle involved the Sisters of Mercy, which owns 96 schools worth €281m and which transferred a further 66, worth €412m, to the Ceist religious trust. 

It made an additional offer of €20m towards the new statutory fund, and property it valued at €107m. This offer was dismissed as inadequate and overvalued. 

Following meetings with the department, the order wrote a letter making it clear its voluntary contribution in response to the Ryan Report “was not a matter for negotiation”. 

It said it would not participate in any attempt by the State to revalue its post-2009 offer and it wanted the Programme for Government changed. 

“We are not willing to enter negotiations with Government towards its fulfilment of school infrastructure which it made in its Programme for Government for the transfer of school infrastructure,” the order wrote. 

In a memo to Mr Quinn, department officials said the compromised proposal, to transfer school sites without changing control, had been put to the 18 orders. Fifteen did not respond and the three that did express an interest only owned 16 schools between them.

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[Rob Northall]

Thought it was a beautiful poetic phrase

"Snails without Shells"

[pauline jackson]

Thanks i am glad it relates to others.

[jack colleton]

i tend say not buttoned up

[jack colleton]

yes short and powerfull.

[jack colleton]

they certainly give god a bad name!

[pauline jackson]

Have you heard of a film by Mel Gibson. It was warmly approved by the vatican. It was very violent as if the spectaters were at a real cruxification. Thats a live torture film. Yet under cover of its for your own good thay showed this things .If it hadent been about jesus it would never have been shown as other than a snuf movie. So thse images are dangerous. Frightening what kids get shown.So in schools teaching these sick minded fanatics get trusted with future generations. I am sure there are good teachers in Ireland on the dole because thay arent nuns.

[Gaye Dalton]

I thought that myself, and I have ALWAYS questioned the wisedom of a tortured man, or and implement of torture as a religious symbol...

It is literally the equivalent of a hanged man in a gibbet, except crucifixion was worse again...I wonder what that image desensitises us to?

All down the centuries...there are old masters of martyrdom that are no more than torture porn in my opinion...however beautiful, they are actually disgusting images of extreme torture.

[pauline jackson]

The sacred heart is really a man who has been burnt to such a degree that his flesh is gone. And he looks mornfull when he should be screaming. Its very much based on punishment. Judging others by thier religion. Its a cultural warp. We had to swear never to renounce jesus even if our Perents told us to. That has no place in childrens education. Going against perents we dident have any contact with. I read a book about G.b. In the sixtys. It was very different from the prison conditions of the 50ths. But the lack of empathy in these places was terrable.No affection between siblings was allowed. In the sixtys thay were with brothers and sisters. That was good for all. I am glad that this kind of thing is no longer covored up.Stuck in our souls for life but i keep well away from that now. I dont practice church religion. I fix my own rules.

[Gaye Dalton]

Then something good came out of it, because it was so extreme it taught you to question and think for yourself...

...though it may not have been the intention...

[pauline jackson]

Unlearning took many years but once i got that into my mind i was able to start.Knowing that changing is part of life.

[jack colleton]

doubtless conditioning to suffering.