The Government will decide how extra compensation from religious congregations will be spent – not the religious congregations themselves, the Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan has said.
Speaking in Dublin today, Mr Lenihan said: “The first point to state is this: any funds provided by the Church, the State should decide how they are spent. That is the first point here.
“The second point is this: that support has to be given to the victims. That has to the first priority in the allocations of these monies.
“And the third point is that you cannot rule out the State receiving support as well for what we have already put in. They are the main principles that I would apply, and the Government would apply,” he said.
So far, eight congregations have indicated that they will contribute money to trusts to look after victims – though, implicitly, it is clear that they would remain in control of such monies.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen last night said some of the extra compensation from the Church could go towards easing the State’s compensation bill.
However, there are differing viewpoints at the Cabinet table. On Monday night, the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey said extra payments from the orders should be ring-fenced, and used exclusively to fund extra welfare services for victims.