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

Gender balance on Board of Caranua

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to ensure that there is a gender balance on the board of Caranua; if she will provide a list of the current board members; the states in which they are resident; the date of the appointment; and the date that their term will expire. 

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan):  Section 11 of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 provides for the membership of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (Caranua) and related matters. Section 11(3) provides that the Minister shall, in so far as is possible, ensure an equitable balance between men and women in the composition of the Board. The Board is currently made up of 5 men and 4 women. The names of the current Board members together with their dates of appointment are set out below. The members reside in Ireland except where otherwise show. All of the appointments are due to expire at the end of the 4 year period commencing on 25 March 2013.

Mr David O’Callaghan (Chair) – Appointed 25 February 2014

Ms Rosemary Adaser (UK resident) – Appointed 11 March 2015

Mr Damian Casey – Appointed 25 March 2013

Mr Austin Currie – Appointed 25 March 2013

Mr Tom Daly – Appointed 25 March 2013

Ms Katherine Finn BL – Appointed 25 March 2013

Mrs Frances Harrington – Appointed 29 January 2014

Mr David Lane (UK resident) – Appointed 25 July 2013

Ms Phyllis Morgan (UK resident) – Appointed 25 March 2013

Make-up of Board of Caranua

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of concerns from male survivors of institutional abuse resident in Ireland that they are under-represented on the board of Caranua; the reason there are more United Kingdom residents appointed to the board; and if she will make a statement on the matter. 

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan): Appointments to the Board of Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund, are made in accordance with the provisions of Section 11 of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 and with the Government’s procedures for the making of appointments to State boards.

Section 11(1) of the 2012 Act provides for the appointment of a 9 member Board, of whom 4 are persons who were resident in an institution specified in the schedule to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2002 before they attained the age of 18 years, while section 11(3) provides that, in making appointments, the Minister shall, in so far as is possible, ensure an equitable balance between men and women in the composition of the Board. The Board of Caranua as currently composed reflects these two statutory requirements. I should point out also that the Board includes three persons who reside in the United Kingdom, this reflects the significant number of former residents residing there.

The most recent appointment to fill a casual vacancy on the Board of Caranua was made in accordance with the new procedures recently put in place for the making of appointments to State Boards.

Caranua compliance with Data Protection

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if any action has been taken against the chief executive officer of Caranua for using confidential information received from the redress board which profiled survivors of abuse; if she is aware that this breaches legislation; if she received legal advice on the matter; and, if so, from whom. 

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she has received any report or information from the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner regarding the compliance of Caranua, including its chief executive officer, board and employees, regarding their compliance with data protection legislation; the date on which she received this information; if she will make this information public; and any action she took as a result of this information.

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan): I propose to take Questions Nos. 513 and 514 together.

I am advised that in 2013 Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, confirmed that the anonymised preliminary analysis of data received from the Residential Institutions Redress Board under the provisions of section 24 of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 was destroyed and that it would only use the data received in accordance with the provisions of section 24. I understand that this matter is addressed in the minutes of Caranua’s Board meeting of 14 November 2013, which are available on the organisation’s website (www.caranua.ie), where the unintentional breach of section 24 is noted together with the Board’s majority decision to record its apology for this breach. I have not sought legal advice in relation to the matters raised by the Deputy nor I have I received any communication from the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner in regard to these matters.

Review of criteria

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to review the current eligible services that survivors of institutional abuse may currently apply for through Caranua, such as funeral and burial services, for survivors as well as their spouses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. 

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills  further to Parliamentary Question No. 972 of 9 June 2015, the date on which she requested Caranua to set out its case for the proposed expansion of approved service classes in accordance with the Act; if she has received a response on this from Caranua; the details of the case made; and the date on which she plans to address the necessary changes. 

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan): I propose to take Questions Nos. 515 and 516 together.

Section 8 of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act, 2012 sets out the classes of services from which approved services can be determined by Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board. In accordance with section 8(3), I can prescribe additional classes of service following a recommendation of the Board of Caranua or following consultation with it. Any such regulations require a positive motion of both Houses of the Oireachtas.

Caranua raised the issue of expanding the classes of approved service to include additional services, such as funerals, with me by way of a letter dated 21 October 2014. In accordance with the Act, when making such recommendations, Caranua shall have regard to the likely effect of the provision of the service on the health and general well-being; the personal and social development; the educational development or the living conditions of former residents as well as the need for minimum standards to be met by approved service providers.

In a letter of 4 November 2014 I requested Caranua to set out the case for the proposed expansion of approved service classes in accordance with the Act and I will consider the matter further on receipt of its response.

Eligibility to apply to Caranua

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 602 of 21 April 2015, the date on which she will review eligibility for assistance from Caranua, in order to ensure that survivors are not unfairly excluded as a result of having not applied to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund.

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan): I refer the Deputy to my reply to PQs 1254, 1255, 1256, 1268 and 1312 of 22 September 2015.

Processing times at Caranua

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the long waiting times for in processing applications for assistance from Caranua; that there are persons waiting for over nine months for assistance; and her plans to address same.  

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan): Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. Administrative issues such as those raised in the Deputy’s question are day to day matters that are the responsibility of Caranua itself. Caranua commenced accepting applications in January 2014 and I am advised that to date some 5,000 applications have been received. Caranua provides updates on its website (www.caranua.ie) in regard to the number of applications received and related matters. The most recent update shows that by end August 2015, Caranua had made payments of €31m to 2,336 applicants.
Caranua has assured me that contrary to what the Deputy has stated in his question there are no applicants awaiting contact from Caranua for 9 months. If the Deputy is aware of an individual applicant who may be awaiting contact for such a period of time I suggest that he raise the matter directly with Caranua.

Caranua Board members engaging with survivors

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of rules disallowing survivors of institutional abuse from engaging directly with board members of Caranua; the reason for this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. 

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan):  Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. It is a matter for the Board to regulate its own procedures subject to the provisions of the 2012 Act and I have no role in the process.

Medical evidence and making an application

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the legislative basis on which Caranua is entitled to ask applicants for assistance for medical evidence to support their application.

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan): Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million, pledged by the religious congregations, to support the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse. The legislation sets out the Board’s various powers and functions. Section 20 of the Act sets out the provisions that apply to the making of applications to the Board and associated matters.

Request for Minister to meet Right of Peace survivors groups

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will meet with members of Right to Peace, who are a group of survivors of institutional abuse, as they have requested.  

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan): As I explained to the Deputy in response to a Parliamentary Question on 26 May I met with representatives of the group Right to Peace on two occasions in the previous months. I am aware that the group has sought a further meeting with me and I will consider their request as my schedule permits. I should point out that representatives of the group have recently met with an official of my Department and I have also been in written correspondence with the group.

Contacting Caranua by phone

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of telephone lines operated by Caranua, whereby applicants can contact their case officers; the times at which these lines are available; if she is aware that some applicants are reporting that they have had to make over 25 separate telephone calls, in order to contact their case officer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. 

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan):  Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. Administrative issues such as those raised in the Deputy’s question are day to day matters that are the responsibility of Caranua itself. I have arranged to have the Deputy’s question forwarded to Caranua with a view to having a response provided to him directly as soon as possible.

Applications received by Caranua

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of applications for assistance made to Caranua since its establishment; the number processed; the level of resources allocated to these applications.  

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan):  Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million, pledged by the religious congregations, to support the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse. To date a total of €82.77 million, including €81.389m in contributions and €1.382m in associated interest has been lodged to the special Investment Account managed by the National Treasury Management Agency for the Fund.
Caranua provides updates on its website (www.caranua.ie) in regard to the number of applications received and related matters. The most recent update shows that by end August 2015, Caranua had made payments of €31m to 2,336 applicants.

Expenditure by Caranua

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the expenditure incurred by Caranua since its establishment, including salaries and expenses paid to staff.  

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan): Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million, pledged by the religious congregations, to support the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse.
Caranua provides updates on its website (www.caranua.ie) in regard to the number of applications received, the level of assistance provided, etc. The most recent update shows that by end August 2015, Caranua had made payments of €31m to 2,336 applicants.
Details of Caranua’s administrative expenditure, including the salaries and expenses of staff are set out in the organisation’s financial statements. Caranua’s 2013 Financial Statements covering the period 25th March to 31st December have been laid before each House of the Oireachtas as is required under the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. These show administration expenses for the period of €0.388m. I understand also that the provisional unaudited administrative costs associated with the running of Caranua in 2014 amounted to some €1.2m.

Housing applications

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the guidelines that are in place for Caranua case officers when reviewing quotes supplied by applicants for remedial work to homes; if it is standard practice for case officers to appoint specific builders or contractors on behalf of the applicants; the number of companies engaged by Caranua in this manner; the level of funding paid to them, per application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. 

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan): Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. Administrative issues such as those raised in the Deputy’s question are day to day matters that are the responsibility of Caranua itself. I have arranged to have the Deputy’s question forwarded to Caranua with a view to having a response provided to him directly as soon as possible.

Consultants engaged by Caranua

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of consultants engaged by Caranua; the payments made to date; the matters that they are consulting on; the details of any reports they have produced; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan):  Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. Section 7(7) of that Act provides that my approval be sought where the Board wishes to engage consultants or advisers. A number of consultancies have been approved under that section. The detailed information sought by the Deputy, in particular that regarding payments made to consultants is not available to me as it is a day to day matter that is the responsibility of the Board. I have arranged to have the Deputy’s question forwarded to Caranua with a view to having a response provided to him directly as soon as possible.