BishopAccountability.org
	Abuse Victims to Get More Than €200m Irish Independent July 24, 2006 http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1659113&issue_id=14404 PAYMENTS to abuse victims by the Residential Institutions Redress Board could exceed €200m, according to new figures. Of 2,710 applications dealt with since the statutory board was set up in 2002, legal costs have totalled almost €37.5m. The board paid €28.6m of this last year to solicitors in respect of 2,033 cases. The board received 14,541 applications by December 15 last when a guillotine was imposed on future claims from former residents of state institutions. The average payment to date to solicitors representing 732 firms amounts to €11,895 per application - 15.65pc of the average award of €76,000. The biggest award was for €300,000. A further 20 applications received awards of more than €200,000. Last year there was an increase in claims ahead of the December 15 closing date. In 2005 there were 9,432 applications. Around 3,500 were lodged in December. Survivors' groups have complained that later applications, which would have been lodged, have not been admitted by the board. John Cooney
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