A man who was a victim of childhood abuse in two State institutions has begun a hunger strike outside Leinster House in Dublin in protest at how he says he has been treated in his claims for redress.
Mr Tom Sweeney from Tallaght in Dublin was in the Artane industrial school in Dublin and St Joseph's institution in Galway during the 1950s and early 1960s.
Speaking to ireland.com, Mr Sweeney said an award of just over €113,000 in compensation from the Residential Institutions Redress Board had been reduced by €50,000. He said this was due to a reduction in the number of "points" the body had allocated him for "loss of opportunity" as a result of the abuse he suffered.
"It's not about the money," Mr Sweeney said. He said he simply believed his voice had not been heard at any stage since the abuse or during the redress process. Mr Sweeney said he will stay on hunger strike outside Leinster House, the seat of Dáil Éireann, "for as long as it takes" for his case to get attention.
He was to sign papers today indicating his acceptance of a final award of €73,000 from the redress board but said he will not sign them.
Mr Sweeney said he had previously been ready to pursue a claim in the High Court but had dropped this to go before the redress body. Those who take compensation from the redress board may not subsequently sue the State or the religious orders for compensation under a controversial deal agreed between the Government and the orders.
Mr Sweeney said he suffered violence at the hands of two Christian brothers at Artane and, subsequently, sexual abuse at the hands of a number of brothers and another staff member at St Joseph's.
Alliance, the victim support body, has declined to support Mr Sweeney's hunger strike action. In a statement, Alliance said: "Mr Tom Sweeney, a survivor of institutional abuse, will be on hunger strike outside the gates of Dáil Éireann from 10am on Thursday 15th April for as long as needs must, in the name of justice and dignity.
"All efforts by the Alliance committee to dissuade him from this course of action have failed and we very much regret this."