Survivors of various schools administered by religious groups, who suffered appalling sexual abuse, have demanded a statutory investigation and a redress system from the Government. They entrusted the determination of the exact format of the investigation and the scheme to the preliminary inquiry, led by Mary O’Toole SC. The inquiry unveiled on Tuesday disclosed awareness of approximately 2,395 abuse charges within 308 religiously managed institutions, suspecting a multitude of unreported cases. Detailed accounts of abuse dating from the early 1960s to the early 1990s were shared by 182 survivors, strongly implying a pattern that was unlikely to have gone unnoticed by faculty and fellow clergymen. The survivors expressed suspicion of a potential cover-up involving cooperation between certain state institutions and the Church.
Consequences of the endured abuse have seeped into their adult lives, observed through emotional trauma like guilt, isolation, disempowerment, and secrecy. It triggered mental health issues, baffling their sexual identities, deterring academic achievements, ruining relationships, and causing marital collapses.
The victims are insistent on a public confrontation of the religious order and those involved. O’Toole suggests a commission of inquiry, considering it to be a less confrontational alternative, which offers procedural adaptability to adapt public revelations.
The suggestion was consented by the Government, which should now expedite the commission’s commencement and equip it with the resources required for its operation. In addition, there is a collective demand for the religious orders to finance, or at least partially fund, a redress scheme. Although the Government has not committed to a redress scheme yet, it is evident the initiation of one is forthcoming.
In establishing the conditions for an inquiry commission, O’Toole has acknowledged the importance of minimising the chances of revictimising the former students who opt to provide testament. She has equally recognised their urge to have the abusers brought to justice without delay. Time is not acting in their favour. Over half of the 884 accused have passed away, including Mark Ryan. He, along with his brother David, started the sequence of events leading to Tuesday’s report by sharing their experiences of abuse at Blackrock College during an RTÉ radio documentary in November 2022, but tragically died last year.
Reviewing the report, it is unquestionable that the courage and grace of the survivors shine through. They have earned immense respect. It is also notable that as the proceedings commence, an increasing number of similar accounts from a variety of establishments will probably surface. Sadly, this is only expected to be the beginning.