A report has found that civil servants failed to estimate the true cost of abuse claims against religious orders.
The Dáil Public Accounts Committee has confirmed that taxpayers have been left to pay up to €750m while religious orders face a significantly smaller bill because of an indemnity deal.
Eighteen religious orders have had their liabilities capped at a total of €128m with the State agreeing to pay any additional compensation.
The committee said the way civil servants conducted the negotiations left much to be desired.
However, it did not say the religious orders were not paying enough towards the final bill for physical and sexual abuse.
