The opposition parties have criticised the financial arrangements reached with religious orders by the Minister for Education and Science, Dr Woods, in relation to a compensation fund for children who suffered sexual and physical abuse while in their care.
In the absence of a decision by the courts in apportioning culpability for what had happened, they said, the Irish taxpayer had been left exposed while the liability of religious orders had been carefully circumscribed. More than that, elements of the financial package agreed by the Minister involved the transfer of religious land going back to 1999 and had nothing to do with the abuse of children.
For their part, the Conference of Religious of Ireland (CORI) insisted a "substantial contribution" had been made through a €38 million cash provision; €80 million in the transfer of land and buildings and €10 million towards counselling, record retrieval and pastoral services.
Organisations representing individuals who were abused in those institutions in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s have been particularly critical of what they see as the success of the religious in evading their financial responsibilities. That is understandable. But, as Dr Woods told the Dáil when introducing the Residential Institutions Redress Bill, the primary responsibility for what happened rested with the State, which not only committed children to these institutions but failed in its duty to ensure that they were cared for properly.
The cost of compensating an estimated 3,500 victims has been put at about €500 million by an expert group established by the Minister. Five levels of compensation were recommended, ranging from less than €50,000 up to €300,000. The legislation at present before the Dáil is seriously deficient in that it excludes day pupils and persons employed at Magdalen Laundries from the scheme. In that regard, Dr Woods has indicated that further changes may be introduced later this month.
A series of trade-offs has been involved in the Government's approach. No blame will be apportioned by the Residential Institutions Redress Board in making compensation awards.
Those members of religious orders complained about by victims will not have to face civil prosecutions. CORI has again apologised for the events of the past and has spoken of healing and reconciliation. In that context, it is unfortunate that its financial arrangements, reached after fourteen months of hard negotiations with the Government, have become a source of controversy.
Society as a whole, and not just governments and religious orders, must face up to its responsibilities. The abuse of children does not - and did not - happen in a vacuum. People in all walks of life were aware of wrongdoing but took refuge in silence. Thousands of innocent people suffered because of that. The hurt and damage inflicted on them must be recognised and abject apologies tendered.
They should be financially compensated.