Properties offered to the State by religious congregations 

Róisín Shortall (Social Democrats): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the value that was attached to a building that was handed over by an organisation (details supplied) as part of the redress scheme; the way in which this value was arrived at; and the date a decision was made as to this value.

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date a building (details supplied) was handed over to the State. 

Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD: The property in question was one of a number of properties offered to the State by religious congregations in the aftermath of the publication in 2009 of the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (the Ryan Report). These offers were voluntary and do not form part of any agreement.

The property transferred to the ownership of the Minister for Education and Skills in 2016. On the completion of the transfer my Department requested the Valuation Office to provide a valuation of the property and the value attributed to the property at the date of transfer was €350,000. 

Róisín Shortall (Social Democrats): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the buildings due to be handed over as part of the redress scheme; the value of the buildings; and the indicative date for transfer to the State. 

Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD: As the Deputy will be aware, contributions from religious congregations towards the costs of redress are being made under two separate rounds: the 2002 legally binding Indemnity Agreement and the voluntary offers made by the congregations in 2009 in the aftermath of the publication of the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (the Ryan Report).

In early December 2017 my Department provided a comprehensive information note to Dáil Éireann’s Committee of Public Accounts, at the Committee’s request, in relation to contributions by religious congregations towards the costs incurred by the

State in responding to residential institution child abuse. The relevant correspondence may be accessed via the following links:

It should be noted that in the course of 2017 information was provided to the Committee of Public Accounts in response to other specific requests from the Committee. I should note also that subsequent to the provision of the information note to the Committee in December one further property, Beaumont Convalescent Home, Beaumont, Dublin 9, fully transferred to the Health Service Executive while additional cash contributions amounting to €1.95 million were received from a congregation. Finally, I should note also that a former school in Westport, Co. Mayo, initially due to transfer to Mayo County Council, is now transferring to the Minister for Education and Skills.