Victims of child sex abuse in schools like Creagh Lane will now be able to seek State redress – O’Dea

Willie O'Dea TD, Fianna Fáil. Picture: Keith Wiseman Clonmacken
Willie O'Dea TD, Fianna Fáil. Picture: Keith Wiseman

FIANNA Fáil TD, Willie O’Dea has said that the Minister for Education, Norma Foley has informed him that the victims of child sex abuse, such as those that attended Creagh Lane National School, will now be able to seek redress from the State from today.

 

Willie O’Dea TD said, “The Minister for Education, Norma Foley, has informed me today in a phonecall that the victims of child sex abuse, such as those that attended Creagh Lane National School, will now be able to apply for compensation through a new scheme which is open for applications from today.

“In recent years I lead a Dáil debate on a motion to ensure that all victims of child sex abuse whose perpetrators have been convicted can seek redress from the State and subsequently Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill agreed with our stance.

 

“My motion sought to amend the scheme for ex-gratia payments from the State to victims following a decision of the European Court of Human Rights. It found that the State provided inadequate protection against child abuse in national schools.

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“I believed that the way in which the last Government was interpreting the ECHR ruling was unjust and unfair as it puts a barrier in front of many victims, such as the Creagh Lane National School victims, from seeking redress. The way in which victims were being treated under this redress scheme was inhumane. My motion was passed with a large majority and we were subsequently proven right following the publication of the review by retired High Court Judge Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill.

“I am extremely happy now that the Minister for Education is righting a wrong and she is doing this in the interests of justice and humanity. I am confident that this new scheme will mean that the victims of Creagh Lane National School won’t have to suffer any longer,” concluded O’Dea.

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