Below are questions asked by TDs in Dáil Éireann, relating to Caranua and other areas relevant to survivors

Ineligible applicants to Caranua

Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons who have been excluded from the Caranua scheme on the grounds that their applications were too late, or on any other grounds. 

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan): Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, commenced accepting applications in January 2014 and there is no closing date for receipt of applications. While it is envisaged that Caranua will be dissolved when the moneys at its disposal are expended, the precise timing cannot be predicted and accordingly it was deemed preferable to introduce amending primary legislation to dissolve the body in due course and not anticipate in advance how long it will have to do its work.

Eligibility for assistance from Caranua is confined to those who received awards from the Redress Board or equivalent Court awards or settlements. This approach was taken having regard to the maximum funds available of €110 million and a potential pool of some 15,000 applicants. I intend to consider the question of a review of the arrangements relating to eligibility later this year by which time a clearer picture should have emerged regarding the uptake of the funding available. I understand that as of 31 March 2015 Caranua had received 4,232 applications of which 4,041 were deemed eligible and 75 were deemed not to be eligible, leaving 116 applications to be considered.

Enhanced medical card

Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if progress has been made in relation to Caranua assisting survivors of residential abuse to access enhanced medical cards; or dentistry; or other assistance. 

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan): There are no plans currently for the provision of Health (Amendment) Act cards to survivors who have accessed Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board. In this regard I would point out that those applying to Caranua can continue to be assessed under the medical card scheme and any awards made by Caranua are disregarded in the income assessment.

Eligible survivors can apply to Caranua for approved services which include health and personal social services, mental health and counselling services, housing support services and education services.