There has been a broad welcome to the Government's plan to implement the recommendations of the Ryan Report.
The plan, which includes the appointment of 270 social workers, states that by 2010 all children's residential centres will be independently inspected by the Health Information and Quality Authority.
Read the plan in full
The Minister of State for Children, Barry Andrews, said a national day of remembrance for the victims of sexual, emotional and physical abuse was also being considered.
Minister Andrews said funding for the 99-point plan will come both from new resources to be provided and savings to be achieved in current spending.
Speaking at the launch of the plan, he said waiting lists for the National Counselling Service have increased substantially following the publication of the report.
Minister Andrews also said the Heath Service Executive's service is to be exempted from the public service recruitment freeze.
The proposals have been broadly welcomed by the One in Four charity, the Rape Crisis Network and the ISPCA.
Panel appointed
Meanwhile, the Government has appointed the three-member panel to assess statements of resources to be submitted by 18 religious orders as a basis for negotiating what the Taoiseach has called ‘substantial contributions’ to help survivors of abuse in their institutions.
The Chairperson is Frank Daly, a former chairman of the Revenue Commissioners.
Chief Executive of the Property Registration Authority Catherine Treacy and a former Chair of Deloitte and Touche Chartered Accountants, John Donnelly, make up the panel.
The eighteenth congregation is expected to submit its statement within days.
