Judge appointed to head panel that will decide payouts over institutional abuse
A SENIOR judge has been appointed as president of a redress board to determine compensation for abuse victims in Northern Ireland.
Mr Justice Adrian Colton described the role as an “honour” and said he hoped to get down to work quickly.
Work to establish the redress scheme is finally under way after long-stalled legislation was passed at Westminster on the final day of business before Parliament was dissolved ahead of the General Election.
Mr Colton was appointed by Northern Ireland’s Lord Chief Justice, Sir Declan Morgan.
Compensation payments were recommended by a Stormont-commissioned inquiry into historic institutional abuse, chaired by retired judge Sir Anthony Hart, who died earlier this year.
Those who suffered abuse in children’s homes run by the church, state and charities were to be offered payments ranging up to a maximum of £100,000.
Victims who attended institutions where the inquiry deemed that a certain level of abuse was widespread will receive an initial £10,000 acknowledgement payment. Members of the redress board will then determine what additional compensation victims are entitled to, depending on the abuse each suffered individually.
The board will be made up of other judicial figures, also appointed by Sir Declan, and a range of health and social care experts, who will be appointed by Stormont’s Executive Office.
Mr Justice Colton welcomed his appointment.
“I am honoured to be asked by the Lord Chief Justice to be the president of the Historical Institutional Abuse Redress Board to implement recommendations made by my esteemed friend and colleague Sir Anthony Hart,” he said.
“I have been advised by the head of the Civil Service, David Sterling, that the Executive Office is committed to taking the necessary steps, including the appointment of the non-judicial members of the board and the establishment of administrative arrangements for the compensation scheme, so that I may start this very important work.”