IRELAND
Irish Examiner
Friday, April 14, 2017
By Fiachra Ó Cionnaith
Irish Examiner Political Correspondent
The head of the State body overseeing compensation payments to religious abuse victims has admitted its initial approach to victims was “appalling”, despite his own CEO defending claims some people are “so damaged” they will never be happy with the help that is given.
Caranua chair David O’Callaghan made the admission as the group faced fresh criticism over a new €15,000 cap on repayments and has admitted counselling services it obtained from a Catholic organisation have already cost more than €90,000.
Speaking during an at times heated Dáil public accounts committee on how the 2002 redress scheme is working, Mr O’Callaghan said the reality is a large number of victims have “not been treated properly” by Caranua.
He said lengthy delays in having their compensation claims assessed were commonplace when the group was set up in 2014, but insisted increased staffing levels mean the “appalling” situation has now been resolved.
However, during the same meeting his CEO Mary Higgins appeared to contradict the claims, saying while she “regrets” recent media interviews in which she described victims as “damaged” any criticism was because some people want to “suit a certain narrative”.
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