Ireland

Abuse compensation scheme `not working', Taoiseach admits

Leo Varadkar told the Dáil the abuse compensation scheme is `not working'
Leo Varadkar told the Dáil the abuse compensation scheme is `not working' Leo Varadkar told the Dáil the abuse compensation scheme is `not working'

THE compensation scheme established by the Irish government four years ago for people abused as children in day schools is "not working", Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has admitted.

He was speaking after RTÉ reported nothing has been paid to survivors under the scheme.

Following a 15-year legal battle with the government, Louise O'Keeffe persuaded the European Court of Human Rights five years ago that the state was vicariously liable for the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her former national school principal, Leo Hickey.

The government established a compensation scheme for anyone falling into the same category as the Co Cork woman and who had stopped suing the state.

In 2018, the Dáil voted victims should no longer have to prove that their abuser had already been reported to the authorities for similar crimes before.

Despite this, the Department of Education confirmed no compensation has been paid out to any of the 50 applications it has received.