Madam, - We are concerned at the lack of balanced comment from media and political commentators about the redress scheme. Like others we abhor the instances of abuse that took place and will not deny just awards to those who have been abused. However, those who rail at the sum of €128 million being given by the religious congregations have short memories.
Firstly, the orders were acting on behalf of the State and by and large the decisions to place people in institutions were made by the State, which was unable to provide facilities or staff.
Secondly, the enormous amount of good work undertaken by the religious congregations has been conveniently forgotten or ignored. They built and managed hospitals and schools. They worked for nothing or put their salaries back into their congregations so that the upkeep of these hospitals and schools could be maintained. They worked in parishes and in social work. They unselfishly gave total commitment to those in need.
At a recent social housing conference we talked to many, many social housing associations which, like ourselves, received property, financial support or personnel from religious congregations long before the redress scheme. This is never adequately acknowledged.
So, while condemning what was done by a minority, let us not forget the positive contribution by the vast majority. We believe our State and our people owe a vast debt to the religious congregations and hope that the Media and many Politicians will take a more balanced view. - Yours, etc.,
JEAN QUINN, EAMONN MARTIN, Joint Chief Executive Officers, Sophia Housing Association, Dublin 8.
Madam, - Isn't it time to move on and leave the Catholic church alone?
All this outrage and vitriol - shouldn't it be directed at the real enemies in our society?
Unquestionably, the Church has made mistakes. It has exercised poor judgment in many of its roles in State and society. We know it suffered infestation by some very evil or sick people. Clearly many innocent people were abused and devastated. And as a huge institution, the church has bungled its responses.
But the level of current attack and condemnation is disingenuous and unfair. All this talk of the taxpayer being screwed, for example: has anyone ever worked out, at current costs, the value of the services the Church provided to our citizens over the years in healthcare, education and community services?
Just look at the sums we now have to spend annually on human resources in the health services alone as we replace this voluntary labour.
And who in our society, pursued for wrongdoing or damages, does not seek, and avail of, legal advice? If the assets which are protected in these processes are, in any case, largely dedicated, directly or indirectly, to serving our own communities, then should we really feel cheated?
Enough has been exposed and said. The Church is a soft target now. The energy would be better directed at the real villains in our society who continue to rip us off in every way conceivable but who seem immune to justice and any proper restitution.
Let's leave these mostly heroic religious men and women to their own healing and their continued loving services. Let's move on. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN GRIFFIN, Bloomsbury, Kells, Co Meath.