IRELAND
Irish Independent
NEW resources to compensate victims of clerical sex abuse need to be found, the Irish Bishops' Conference heard yesterday, because the bulk of a trust fund to meet such claims has already been spent.
Over the past nine years, 143 claims against 36 priests for child sex abuse have cost the Irish Catholic Church €8.78m.
This has been paid out of their Stewardship Trust which is now undergoing a review.
Most of these cases occurred prior to 1996 and the bishops heard that they are not covered by any existing insurance policy.
Since 1996, survivors of abuse have received €6.24m from the trust, while the legal costs have added an additional €2.53m to the bill.
The Stewardship Trust was funded by the traditional Catholic diocesan insurer in Ireland, Church and General, with payments of €4.3m in 1996 and a maximum agreement to pay up to €6.3m in 1999.