Hundreds of applications for historic abuse compensation received, says O'Neill

by David Young, PA

Almost 600 applications for compensation for historical institutional abuse have been received in the five months since the scheme opened.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said redress panels had so far made determinations to pay £4.1 million to applicants, with almost £2.2 million of that already paid.

The scheme became operational at the end of March when a redress board was established as part of recommendations made in the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) inquiry.

The HIA inquiry called for payments ranging from £7,500 to £100,000. Thousands of victims are believed to be eligible.

Ms O’Neill said 570 applications had been received by the end of September.

The abuse probe, chaired by the late judge Sir Anthony Hart, also called for a memorial to the victims and a formal apology.

Giving evidence to an Assembly committee, Ms O’Neill said work on the apology and memorial was being advanced.

She said a report on the apology compiled by interim advocate for historical institutional abuse victims, Brendan McAllister, was due to be presented to The Executive Office (TEO) on October 16.

She said victims’ groups had been consulted by Mr McAllister and TEO officials on what words they believed should be included in the apology.

Ms O’Neill said it was crucial that the views of victims were central to both the apology and the memorial.

“At the heart of everything and everything we do around either the memorial or the apology has to be the wishes of the victims and survivors,” she said.

Earlier this week, the appointment of a full-time commissioner for survivors of institutional child abuse was announced.

Cork-born Fiona Ryan, currently the chief executive of a domestic violence charity, will take up the position for a five-year term from December.