Comments by the Catholic Primate that seizing assets from religious orders to fund redress schemes could be seen as \u201cpolitical opportunism\u201d has been rejected by Opposition politicians. <\/p>\n
Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin said the State should be careful when apportioning responsibility in relation to sexual and physical abuse in institutions that were run by religious orders. <\/p>\n
Only three of eight religious orders contributed to a redress scheme for survivors of mother and baby homes<\/a>. <\/p>\n Mother and baby homes were variously owned and run by county councils and Catholic and Protestant organisations, including religious orders and evangelical groups. <\/p>\n On foot of the poor uptake from the orders, Minister for Children Norma Foley<\/a> has sought legal advice to see if it is possible to compel religious orders to make contributions. Government and Opposition politicians have also called for mandatory schemes that would compel orders to make payments. <\/p>\n In an interview with the Sunday Times, Mr Martin responded to the prospect of assets being seized by saying: \u201cI would hope that we are not back into penal times where the churches will be unjustly targeted with regard to assets.\u201d<\/p>\n He accepted that religious orders should contribute but said that should be justly apportioned, as the State, State actors and (secular) agencies were also in position of authority and oversight in those institutions. <\/p>\n \u201cWe need to be careful about political opportunism,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI would be disappointed if the State just simply scapegoated religious orders or the church.\u201d<\/p>\n