Overview
- Victims can file through the Justice Ministry, which forwards cases to the state ombudsman to assess requested financial, moral, psychological or restorative reparations.
- Eligible cases include those blocked by statutes of limitations or involving deceased alleged perpetrators, with the Church agreeing to finance payments for the first time under a state‑anchored process.
- If either side rejects the proposal, a mixed commission reviews the case, and if no consensus is reached the ombudsman’s recommendation prevails.
- The filing window runs for one year with the option to extend for an additional year, and compensation will be exempt from taxes.
- Victims’ groups welcomed the independent route after criticizing church‑run schemes, as debate continues over the scale of abuse cited by a 2023 ombudsman report versus lower figures from the bishops, who say they have already paid about €2 million.