Irish Schools Report Unveils Alarmingly High Levels of Sexual Abuse

The level of sexual abuse at religious schools in the Republic of Ireland spanning 90 years, up until 2013, is “truly shocking,” says the country’s education minister, Norma Foley.

Most of the 2,395 allegations of abuse took place at schools run by the Roman Catholic Church.

About half of those accused of abuse in the report are believed to be dead.

The inquiry’s chair, senior counsel Mary O’Toole, said most of the allegations of abuse stemmed from the period between the 1960s and the 1990s.

Foley said that as a result of the inquiry’s findings, the government in Dublin has decided to launch a formal commission of investigation.

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Foley became emotional as she spoke at a press conference.

“This is the first time, and we shouldn’t underestimate this, the first time that the scale of child sexual abuse allegations in schools run by religious orders has been disclosed based on information supplied by religious orders themselves and by survivors,” she said.

“The level of abuse is shocking. It is truly shocking, and so is the number of alleged abusers.

“The report is a harrowing document and contains participants’ descriptions of appalling sexual abuse and violence.

“This includes abuse being perpetrated in front of other children.”

‘Lifelong Impact’ Of Abuse

Foley said many of those who testified to the inquiry said the abuse had a “lifelong impact” on their lives and “led to the premature end of their childhood.”

The scoping inquiry was based on the records of religious institutions and the testimony of alleged victims.

It is the latest in a series of reports in recent decades that have claimed widespread sexual and physical abuse by priests and nuns associated with Ireland’s Catholic Church.

The 700-page report found that 42 of the 73 religious orders that had run schools in Ireland had records of historical sexual abuse allegations.

The report said 17 of these were special schools, which recorded 590 allegations involving 190 alleged abusers.

O’Toole recommended that the government ask the religious orders to contribute toward a compensation scheme.

The Irish prime minister, or taoiseach, Simon Harris, said the commission of investigation had to be “absolutely survivor-centred.”

Last year, one religious order, the Spiritan Congregation, apologized to victims of abuse and said an independent group would engage with survivors at various schools it ran, including Blackrock College in Dublin.

The scoping report detailed 185 allegations of abuse at Spiritan-run schools in Blackrock.

Restore Together, an advocacy group for victims of sexual abuse in Spiritan schools, said in a statement: “Media reports in July and again today refer to the imminent establishment of a redress scheme only after the conclusion of any inquiry.

“This would unnecessarily add years of delay to urgently needed justice and healing for all victims/survivors of abuse.”

The group called for victims to receive prompt “justice and redress.”

Religious Orders ‘Deeply Sorry’

The Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious in Ireland, which represents Catholic orders, issued a statement that said, “We are deeply sorry that they experienced abuse in religious-run schools.”

Perpetrators worked in schools, children’s homes, the National Health Service, and the BBC.

“Between 1970 and 2015, the Roman Catholic Church received more than 900 complaints involving over 3,000 instances of child sexual abuse against more than 900 individuals connected to the Church, including priests, monks and volunteers,” the IICSA said.

“In the same period, there were 177 prosecutions resulting in 133 convictions.”

PA Media and Reuters contributed to this report.