SIXTEEN OF the 18 religious congregations investigated by the Ryan Commission and which agreed to contribute to a new trust to compensate victims of abuse suffered in their institutions, have made their contributions known to the Department of Education, The Irish Times has learned.
Six to date have placed details of their finances online and of how much they will contribute to the new independent trust.
Last night the Oblates of Mary Immaculate order indicated its intention to pay €20 million to the fund. The congregation, which has 46 members in Ireland and 25 lay staff, as well as 86 members abroad, has total assets of €81.9 million with liabilities/commitments of €61.8 million.
The Daughters of Charity order has agreed to contribute €10 million to the trust. Its total assets are valued at €339.2 million, with total liabilities/commitments of €255.9 million. There are 226 members in the congregation, 215 in Ireland. Of these, 25 are aged under 60, 54 are aged 60-70, and 136 are 70 and older.
The Sisters of Charity order has indicated that it will contribute €5 million to the trust. Its total assets are valued at €266.2 million with liabilities/commitments of €50.4 million. The congregation has 264 sisters in its Irish province. Their average age is 75, with 181 sisters aged over 70.
The Presentation Sisters order is to contribute €5 million which is in addition to an earlier contribution of € 5.2 million to the Redress Board. One per cent of claims relate to the Sisters. The order’s total assets are valued at € 394 million with liabilities/commitments of € 108 million.
The Presentation Brothers congregation decided to contribute €3 million. This is from its unrestricted assets of €8.6 million and represents more than a third of its available funds. The order’s total unrestricted assets amount to €23.4 million, with total liabilities/ commitments of €14.8 million.
It leaves total net unrestricted assets of €8.6 million. Its Irish section has 60 members, including seven overseas, with an average age of 71.
Earlier yesterday it emerged that the Christian Brothers order is to contribute €30 million to the new trust, plus €4 million to counselling services.
The Brothers have also agreed to transfer school playing fields valued at €127 million into the joint ownership of the Government and the Edmund Rice Schools Trust, an independent lay body set up in 2008. Their total assets are €332.4 million with liabilities/commitments of €83.4 million, leaving total net assets of €240.9 million.
There are 250 Christian Brothers in Ireland, with an average age of 74.
