Redress fatigue leads to masterclass in spin

Government media management effectively killed the Mother and Baby Homes Commission's report

Last week, we hit redress fatigue. Not merely have we had to pay €1.25 billion in redress for abuse in the industrial schools (as calculated recently by the Comptroller and Auditor General), but the prospect of a further billion-euro bill was suddenly on the table.

In an interim report, the Mother and Baby Homes Commission recommended that some former residents be eligible for redress. Leaks from cabinet suggested this could cost a billion ...