A COMMISSION OF Investigation into allegations of historical child sexual abuse in every school across the country is set to be established. 

Minister for Education Helen McEntee announced the move this afternoon.

She said that work is underway to establish how a redress scheme for survivors would work, adding that any scheme “must” be funded by religious orders and schools where incidents of abuse happened.

Mr Justice Michael McGrath has been appointed to chair the commission, which has a five-year time limit to complete its work. The chair, as well as additional commissioners, will be in place by 1 October. 

A survey will be launched at the outset, which McEntee said will allow the chair to identify the scope of the commission. She said the government would engage with survivors to inform the language, content and communication of the survey. 

A survivor engagement programme will also be established, following a recommendation by a scoping inquiry last year.

That scoping inquiry gathered almost 2,400 allegations of sexual abuse of children in over 300 schools run by 42 religious orders. The report recommended that the scope of an inquiry be broadened to investigate all schools.

Speaking outside Government Buildings in Dublin this afternoon, McEntee said the independent commission will seek initial expressions of interest from people who wish to provide information to the investigation through a widely-advertised campaign.

She said the government will use “all potential levers that can be brought to bear to secure funding” from schools where incidents of abuse are found to have taken place.

In October last year, then-Taoiseach Simon Harris told The Journal the government may legislate so that organisations are required to pay into the redress scheme.

Redress scheme

After two years, the Commission will report back to the minister with an update of its investigation.

McEntee said the investigation itself is likely to cost “in the tens of millions” due to the significant staff and support needed “to make sure that the work can be done as quickly as possible”. 

Education Minister Helen McEntee announced the move outside Government Buildings this afternoon. RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

McEntee acknowledged that the area of redress “is so important to survivors to ensure that the institutions and the religious orders involved in these awful crimes are held accountable, and that includes financially”. 

She said an interdepartmental group report which was formed to advise on the recommendations of the scoping inquiry stated that more work must be undertaken on any potential redress scheme.

Any scheme must be funded by those who ran the schools where this abuse occurred.

“Let me be very clear. All potential levers that can be brought to bear to secure the funding from those responsible for sexual abuse in schools must be considered, and will be considered.”

She said this will include looking at potential changes to the statute of limitations for civil claims, changes to the status of unincorporated associations, and looking at what assets the religious orders and groups in question have. 

McEntee said some of the measures that the government are currently looking at would require legislative change, adding that any steps taken will be done in consultation with the Attorney General. 

No limit has been put on the level of redress that could be paid, the minister said, adding that work must first be done to understand the exact and correct compensation to be granted.

Religious orders

On the religious orders, she said: “What’s very clear is that there is more work needed to be done in identifying exactly what is owned and in the possession of the religious orders or institutions.

“It is very clear, though, that any redress scheme, if it were approved by government, would have to be funded by those religious orders and organisations.”

Asked by The Journal if she is confident that the religious orders would willingly come forward to engage in the process and to pay any redress that is deemed appropriate, the Minister said the orders did engage in and provide information to the scoping inquiry.

“I would expect that that approach would continue into the Commission of Investigation, and I believe that’s the most appropriate response that there should be,” she said.

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“Separate to that, any redress scheme, again, I would expect that religious orders should come forward. It hasn’t always been the case in the past, but I do acknowledge that some orders have come forward and are putting in place redress schemes.”

She said further engagement with the orders will be needed and the government “need to do further work to see what is possible and what is not at this stage”. 

Restore Together, an advocacy group for victims of abuse in Spiritian schools, has welcomed the investigation, but questioned its efficacy.

“The establishment of the inquiry must not become an obstacle to justice, nor should it inadvertently shield religious institutions from taking immediate responsibility,” spokesperson Philip Feddis said.

“While this is a significant step, we await details on whether and how this investigation will be different to the dozen or more processes we have had in this country over the last 30-plus years, all of which were rooted in the structures and culture of the legal system with victims/ survivors merely pawns in the process.”

The scoping exercise was only tasked with looking into abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders. 

Most of these allegations were reported from the records of some 42 religious orders who currently or previously ran schools in Ireland. 

However, the report recommended that the terms of reference for any future inquiry be extended to cover all schools.

The Programme for Government contains a commitment to establish a Commission of Investigation. 

Support is available

One in Four provides support for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse; you can call 01 662 4070 or email info@oneinfour.ie

An extensive list of support services, for people in Ireland and abroad, can be read here.