Sisters of Mercy Hand Over €127.5M

The Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy in Ireland have announced they are to hand over an amount in excess of €127.5 million in land and cash as 'reparation'.

The congregation wrote to Minister Batt O'Keeffe today, advising him of the contribution they will make to children had suffered while within their care.

The announcement comes in the wake of the revelatory Murphy Report, published last week that detailed incidences of a culture of institutional secrecy within the Catholic Church over child abuses by priests in Dublin.

Today's announcement however, is in response to the Ryan report, which was published in May, and revealed horrific abuses by a number of Church ran reformatories, including institutions ran by the Sisters of Mercy.

A spokesperson for the order said the Sisters of Mercy were "deeply saddened at the findings of the Ryan Report" and wholeheartedly regretted the suffering experienced by the children in their care.

The contribution is made up of a cash sum of €20 million and properties valued at €107,506,800. The cash of €20 million is to be transferred to a trust for former Residents.

The property, valued at €107,506,800, will see €80,856,800 transferred to the State, €11,590,000 worth going to a trust for former residents and €15,060,000 going to voluntary groups.

The contribution is in addition to a contribution already made in the sum of

€33,091,114 and a commitment of €1,875,000 to Faoiseamh over the next

five years, according to the congregation.

The Congregation said it attempted to be faithful to the values of reparation, reconciliation, healing and responsibility.

“It is the sincere hope and desire of the Congregation that this contribution will help towards the enhancement of the lives of former residents”, the spokesperson said today.

The Congregation added it will immediately engage with the voluntary groups to whom it has decided to transfer properties and awaits confirmation from the Government regarding the transfer of assets to the State and to the independent trust.

(DW/BMcc)