IRELAND
One in Four
THIS week in the Dail, Education Minister Mary Hanafin admitted that the total cost of the scheme set up to compensation victims of child abuse in residential homes could be €800m. She admitted the final bill could be higher than this.
But assuming the cost of the Residential Institutions Redress Board ends up at approximately €800m, the amount paid out to solicitors will be something over €100m, an enormous sum.
Former residents of these institutions, mainly industrial schools, have until December 15 to make their claim.
The average payout so far has been €77,000 to which is added roughly 15pc in costs. Most of this 15pc goes to the law firms representing the claimants meaning they receive on average up to €11,000 for each case processed.