Below are questions asked in the Oireachtas, relating to Caranua and other areas relevant to survivors

Child Abuse Reports

Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the recommendations of a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Richard Bruton): The Government remains committed to implementing the recommendations of the Ryan Report. The commissioning of a Memorial to recognise the suffering of abuse victims in State run institutions was one of the recommendations.

To commission this, an international competition was held and the winning entry was called the Journey of Light and was designed by Studio Negri and Hennessy & Associates.  The design concept was that the Memorial would be integrated with the Garden of Remembrance and would provide an enduring symbol of lost innocence to inspire future generations to ensure the protection of all children.

However, An Bord Pleanála refused planning permission for the Memorial in November 2013 on the grounds that it would have an adverse impact on the setting, character and function of the Garden of Remembrance.

It was suggested that a central Dublin location could be identified on a cost neutral basis with appropriate zoning which could be used as a site for the Memorial. However, the winning design uses the physical features of the Garden of Remembrance site and the design cannot be created on a different site. None of the other designs entered for the competition were considered appropriate to be commissioned.

The Department is considering how best to progress the project. The Department is engaging with potential interested parties with a view to seeing whether a permanent exhibition in a public institution might provide an appropriate way for the nation to remember the abuse that was suffered in redress institutions and to acknowledge the experience of survivors which is part of our national history.

A capital provision of € 500,000 is provided for the Memorial in the 2017 Revised Estimates Volume.

Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if persons can still make a submission and give evidence to the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse – Ryan report; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Richard Bruton): The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse has ceased receiving submissions or hearing evidence.  It published its final report (the Ryan report) in May 2009.   Should a survivor wish to tell his/her story of institutional life, there is a national confidential counselling service available run by the HSE.