Hungerstrike day 19

Hunger strike for justice

Paddy :

A SURVIVOR of institutional abuse has criticised in-fighting among victims groups over compensation, warning they are in danger of losing public support.
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Christine Buckley, director of the Aislinn Centre, said a range of groups had “mushroomed” since the apology of then-Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in 1999 and the establishment of the Redress Board. Ms Buckley said the priorities for the Aislinn Centre have always been education and counselling.

She said that some groups had told survivors they could get them an extra €200,000 to €300,000 in the second tranche of compensation and that some people had borrowed from money lenders as a result.

And Ms Buckley said she had been contacted by two separate solicitors who told her they would offer loans to survivors on the back of such assurances.
However, the Taoiseach has said the €110m in extra cash pledged by 16 of the 18 religious orders will be placed in a trust fund and administered by the State.

"It is a crime to withhold information to a crime regardless of what crime it is".