Support to Survivors of Institutional Abuse
Comparing Redress Schemes
International Redress Schemes Comparison Summary
Ireland is not unique in having provided Redress Schemes for survivors of institutional abuse; inadequate though many might feel they have been. Internationally there have been a number of important enquiries linked to Redress Schemes and we list the most important of these, known to us, below and provide some comparisons between them.
A detailed comparison of Irish Redress Schemes is also set out below. We will be reviewing this over the coming months taking into account feedback from users of this website. In the meantime we would welcome your feedback. Please send your comments and suggestions to damian.ofarrell@sageadvocacy.ie
| Legal Costs | Financial Supports | Other Supports | Intergenerational Supports | |
| Australia | Legal assistance provided to survivors, legal costs capped | Yes | Yes | Yes* |
| Canada | Legal assistance provided to survivors, legal costs capped | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New Zealand | Legal assistance provided | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| UK | Legal assistance provided | Yes | Yes | No |
| Ireland | Legal assistance was provided generally in redress schemes | Yes | Yes | No |
*The National Redress Scheme provides key initiatives designed to address broader affects of trauma in families.
Redress Schemes in Ireland
| Residential Institutes Redress Scheme (RIRS) | Magdalene Laundries (ex- gratia) Redress Scheme | Mother and Baby Institutions Redress Scheme | Symphysiotomy (ex-gratia) Redress Scheme | Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Redress Scheme | Hepatitis C & HIV Compensation Tribunal | Cervical Check (ex gratia ) Scheme | Irish Thalidomide (ex-gratia) Scheme | |||
| RIRB (publicly funded) | Caranua (not publicly funded) | publicly funded | publicly funded | publicly funded | publicly funded | Publicly funded | Publicly Funded | Publicly Funded | ||
| Date | 2002 – 2016 | 2013 – 2021 | 2013 – 2020 | 2024 – present | 2014 – 2016 | To be commenced | 1998 – present | 2019 – present | 1975 – present | |
| Cost | €1.25 billion | €111 million | €33 million | €800 million* | €34 million | N/A | €1.0 billion * | Not available | Not Available | |
| Legal and Admin Costs | €250 million | €13 million | €6 million | Not available** | €3 million | N/A | € 195 million ** | Not available | Not available | |
| Supports | Financial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Health | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Education | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | |
| Counselling | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Advocacy | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Housing | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | |
| Pension | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No*** | |
| Follow up | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Intergenerational | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | |
*The National Redress Scheme provides key initiatives designed to address broader affects of trauma in families.