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In June 2024, a final report of a Scoping Inquiry into historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders was delivered to the Minister for Education, Norma Foley. The government is currently preparing for the publication of the report, which follows a series of abuse allegations dating from the 1960s at schools run by religious congregations.
Background to the Report
The inquiry was delayed from its original November 2023 deadline to June 2024. The 700-page report, outlines a framework for the governments response to historical sexual abuse and offers recommendations for future child protection and restorative justice initiatives. Minister Foley has expressed gratitude to survivors and emphasised the report’s significance, vowing to publish it promptly after consulting with the Attorney General.
For further details, see our prior article Final Report of Scoping Inquiry into Historical Religious Order Sexual Abuse Claims
Abuse Allegations
The need for the report comes as no surprise. Over the last 20 years or so, religious orders particularly the Catholic Church in Ireland have been involved in numerous sex abuse scandals. The report found extensive abuse in religious run schools dating back to the 1960’s and systemic failures in addressing allegations where institutions often shielded perpetrators.
The report emphasised survivors’ testimonies, acknowledging the profound and lasting trauma they endured and proposed a framework for the government’s response. The report also highlighted the ongoing impact of historical abuse on survivors’ lives.
Jesuit Order Abuse
In February of this year, it was reported that The Jesuit Order in Ireland has received 93 complaints of sexual, physical and emotional abuse of boys by the former priest and teacher Joseph Marmion. 45 of the 93 complaints received from 1977 related to child sexual abuse. Marmion spent most of his time as a teacher in Belvedere College but also taught at Clongowes Wood College in County Kildare and Crescent College in Limerick.
Excluding Marmion, there were 34 complaints of sexual abuse received against 19 other Jesuits at these three schools. These complaints were received by the Society between 1965 and 2023 and were reported to have occurred between 1940 and 1991.
Spiritan Order Abuse
It emerged in late 2022 that, following an RTÉ documentary, 233 people had made allegations of abuse against 77 Irish Spiritans in ministries throughout Ireland and abroad. Of those, 57 people alleged they were abused on the Blackrock College campus.
The Blackrock College Union of past pupils released an update on its website in June 2024 in relation to historical abuse suffered by former pupils of schools run by the Spiritan Order. These include Blackrock College and Willow Park, as well as other schools such as Templeogue College and Rockwell College in Tipperary.
According to the update from the Restore Together group, 49 Spiritan clergy and 12 lay members of staff have been reported for abuse by over 290 people.
Carmelites Abuse
In 2022, it was reported that The Carmelites have confirmed that 56 individuals have made allegations of historical sex abuse against 21 members of the Order.
30 legal cases were filed in recent years against the Carmelites, who run Terenure College in South Dublin and previously the Carmelite College Moate, a Co Westmeath fee-paying school that closed in 1996. The vast majority of the cases were filed between 2020 and 2023 and related to alleged child abuse by John McClean, the former Terenure College teacher and rugby coach.
McClean is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence over the sexual abuse of more than 40 boys in the secondary school, following convictions in 2021 and 2023.
Further Information
Lavelle Partners act for several clients in relation to historic child sexual abuse cases. Please contact Avril Scally, Partner and Head of Personal Injury & Medical Negligence, in the strictest of confidence, if you would like to discuss a possible case.