It’s almost 20 years since the State signed an agreement with religious orders that indemnified them from claims arising from decades of child abuse in Church-run institutions. In return the 18 congregations said they would hand over €128m in cash, counselling services, and property transfers. Further voluntary pledges were sought by the government in 2009 in the wake of the publication of the damning Ryan Report on abuse. Somewhat astonishingly the process of collecting the pledges made continues to this day. The overall offers made by religious organisations come to less than a third of the €1.5bn cost of redress so far with just €240m – around 16pc – fully realised to date.