Survivors of child abuse will meet on Saturday, February 26th, to discuss their response to the legislation setting up the Commission on Child Abuse, and other Government measures to deal with institutional abuse.
Irish-SOCA (Survivors of Child Abuse), which is organising the meeting, said it welcomed the setting up and terms of reference of the commission but was seeking clarification on the role the State would play. Irish-SOCA is a distinct organisation from the British-based organisation of the same name, which contains a number of Irish victims of child abuse and which last week welcomed the commission.
"Irish-SOCA survivors do not have confidence that the Government will carry out its obligations to the full in relation to legal representation for survivors due to its track record in the whole area of child abuse," its co-ordinator, Mr John Kelly, said in a statement. "Irish-SOCA will demand equal legal representation for survivors as the religious institutions and the State will have."
He also wanted to know if travel and accommodation expenses were being offered to survivors while they attend commission hearings.
The organisation also called for the repeal of the Statute of Limitations. "Irish-SOCA do want the commission to work, but in the absence of a fair Statute of Limitations our members feel there is no point in having a commission. They feel the two are totally linked," Mr Kelly said.
He said the Department of Education had said there would be six to eight weeks of consultation before the legislation on the commission became law. Now, however, it was expected to become law within the next two weeks - before survivors could consult about it.
None the less, he said, a public meeting of all survivors was being called by SOCA for a meeting on February 26th in Liberty Hall, Dublin, when they would decide if they wished to be involved in the process.
Irish-SOCA can be contacted at 01-4550413 or 087-2475591.