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Minister Quinn announces appointment of Pat Whelan as Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Appeals Officer
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., today announced the appointment of Mr Pat Whelan, former Director General of the Office of the Ombudsman, as the inaugural Appeals Officer of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund.
The Residential Institutions Statutory Fund, which uses the service name Caranua, was established under the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to oversee the use of up to €110 million in cash contributions pledged by religious congregations to support the needs of survivors of residential institutional child abuse. The supports available include the provision of a range of approved services, including health and personal social services, education and housing services. Further details are available on the Board’s website www.caranua.ie.
Mr Whelan’s appointment will allow those applicants who are unhappy with a decision of Caranua on their application, access to an independent appeals process.
Minister Quinn thanked Mr Whelan for accepting the position, saying, “his experience and expertise will ensure that the appeals system operates efficiently and effectively.”