BishopAccountability.org
	Three More Orders Offer Compensation By John Walshe Irish Independent November 26, 2009 http://www.independent.ie/national-news/three-more-orders-offer-compensation-1953714.html THREE religious congregations have published their compensation packages for abuse victims on their websites in defiance of a request from Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe. Following the disclosure in the Irish Independent yesterday of the Christian Brothers' extra compensation offer, the minister's officials contacted the remaining 17 orders, asking them not to publish the information just yet. "Given the importance of ensuring that groups representing former residents are involved, our preference was to give the full picture at the one time and with all involved," Mr O'Keeffe said. There are also a number of offers still to come and the minister urged that they be submitted as quickly as possible. Once all the offers are in, they will be brought to the Government with a study of the assets of the congregations which was prepared by a three-person panel, chaired by Frank Daly, former chairman of the Revenue Commissioners. The reports will then be made public. However, three orders posted details on their websites yesterday, announcing packages of €35m between them. The Oblates who ran St Conleth's Reformatory in Daingean, Co Offaly, are putting up €20m. The Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul said they were willing to contribute €10m. The Sisters of Charity, who were involved in five industrial schools, have offered €5m. The €35m is in addition to contributions already made by the congregations. Meanwhile, groups representing survivors of clerical child sex abuse in the Dublin Catholic archdiocese are to be briefed by Department of Justice officials on the report into the Church's handling of abuse allegations by priests prior to its publication today.
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