491 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will consider amending the legislative proposals in relation to the provisions in the Residential Institutions Redress Bill, 2001, to address concerns (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23694/01]

One of the concerns to which the Deputy refers is that the enactment of the Residential Institutions Redress Bill, 2001 and the setting up of a scheme for financial redress to victims of abuse in childhood will prejudice the effectiveness of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse. The view is expressed that former residents of the institutions will be encouraged to make their claim to the redress board only.

At the outset I would like to emphasise that the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse is an entirely separate body from the proposed redress board. The commission has a function to inquire into past abuse of children in all situations, other than the family home, to establish accountability for abuse and to provide a therapeutic forum for victims of abuse to tell the story of their experience, good and bad. The redress board will provide compensation from public funds for people who were injured as a result of abuse in childhood while resident in institutions for which public bodies had regulatory and supervisory functions. Both bodies are part of the Government's response to widespread public concern about alleged abuse in the institutions in particular and are intended as going some way to serving the needs of victims of abuse in childhood. Those needs, as expressed to me and my Department, by many former residents of the institutions include the need to be believed and the need for answers as to why abuse happened to them and who were the responsible parties. They also include in some, but by no means all, cases a wish to be financially compensated.