Latest news with #MichaelMacGrath
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on the inquiry into the handling of child abuse in schools: a mammoth task
On paper, the task facing Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, as chair of the Commission of Investigation into the Handling of Child Sexual Abuse in Schools, seems impossible. That he is expected to complete its report within five years appears even more so. A comparable inquiry would be the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, which investigated abuses in residential institutions for children. It published its 2,600-page report in 2009, nine years after being set up. The Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation was established in 2015 to investigate the treatment of women and children in such institutions. It was five years later, in 2020, when its 3,000-page report was presented to government. Both those commissions operated on a similar sampling basis as is to be employed by the new commission. The judge's work will be assisted by the new commission being allowed to take into account 'the extent of concerns of child sexual abuse established by previous investigations' including the scoping inquiry into historical sexual abuse in schools run by religious orders, which called for the establishment of the commission. As this inquiry also recommended, the commission will extend its work to allegations relating to all types of schools. READ MORE The new commission will also have the discretion to reduce the time period under investigation as considered appropriate, taking into account in particular the barriers to investigating older allegations. This should help to limit the task it faces. It is welcome that the terms of reference for the new commission 'shall strive to be as survivor-centred as possible.' Its survivor engagement programme will provide 'a non-adversarial setting' for survivors, or relatives of deceased survivors, to tell their story with identities protected. This is similar to the role of confidential committees at the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse and the Mother and Baby Home Commission of Investigation. And, as with those, the new commission 'may' have regard to the work of the survivor engagement programme. Or it may not, as claimed by critics of previous commissions, who said that this survivor testimony was not allowed adequate weight in findings made. The commission's terms of reference include a wise direction that on or before July 2027 it will write to the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm whether it will be in a position to report by July 2030, as currently required, or propose changes to its terms of reference which will make that possible. Commitments to secure funding for redress schemes from those responsible for sexual abuse in schools are also welcome. Previous experience would suggest, however, that securing this will be no easy task.
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Commission's complex work spans decades of societal change
The work that lies ahead for the Commission of Investigation into the Handling of Child Sexual Abuse in Schools is significant and complex. Following a wish expressed by many victims/survivors involved in the Scoping Inquiry, the commission will examine the handling of sexual abuse in all types of schools, which means there will be hundreds under consideration. Investigating of every allegation that may be reported to the commission would be difficult within the allotted five-year time frame, which is why there will be a sampling approach. Sampling also occurred during the Murphy Inquiry, which was a commission of investigation into the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin which began in 2006. The original brief was for Judge Yvonne Murphy to report within 18 months, but such was the volume of evidence and allegations concerning the abusive behaviour of a sample batch of 46 priests, it took three years. It's understood that Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and his team of commissioners will determine the sampling method when they have a clearer idea of numbers. The scoping inquiry into allegations of abuse at schools run by religious orders for example found that there were 2,395 allegations of sexual abuse in respect of 308 schools run by religious orders. The allegations were made in respect of 884 distinct alleged abusers between 1927 to 2013. The commission of investigation announced today will consider child sexual abuse during that same time period, however, there's "a realistic limitation" on the ability of the commission to conduct a "meaningful investigation" into incidents occurred long ago. Regardless, it's a significant timespan across decades of huge societal changes in Ireland. Meeting its five-year deadline will not be easy for the commission, which many agree, will require adequate resources. There is considerable concern around the issue of redress and the fact the Government had not pinned this down before it made today's announcement. It said further work is being done to examine the matter of financial redress and how any future scheme could be funded. One in Four's CEO Deirdre Kenny said she was "very concerned" that there was no clarity. She described it as "a missed opportunity" for the Government. "Redress is something that is really important. It's not necessarily about financial support for people, it's about accountability," she said While she acknowledged the complexity of the situation, she said Government needed to move swiftly, be clear with survivors and communicate sooner rather than later. Minister for Education Helen McEntee . She said religious orders and institutions haven't come forward in past redress schemes and if necessary "levers of the State", would be considered to secure funding. What is less clear - and may emerge as "further work" on the question of redress continues - is how much the State will be liable, considering that all schools will be investigated.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Irish school historical sex abuse claims to be examined by commission
A Commission of Investigation will be set up into historical sexual abuse allegations in day and boarding schools across the Republic of Ireland, the Irish government has appointed judge Mr Justice Michael MacGrath to chair the Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael coalition had committed to setting up a commission in its Programme for Government.A scoping inquiry, published in 2024, found more than 2,000 allegations of abuse at more than 300 schools run by religious orders in Ireland. Announcing the commission on Tuesday, Irish Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee said the revelations of the report of the scoping inquiry were "devastating" and the survivors' accounts of their experiences had a "profound impact". She added it was clear that survivors wanted accountability and that "because of their courage, a light has been shone on a dark period of Irish history".The commission will be able to examine the handling of sexual abuse in all types of will start preliminary work in the coming months and will then seek initial expressions of interest from people who may wish to provide information to said when this part of the process began it would be widely advertised. 'Survivors want accountability' McEntee said more work was required in relation to setting up a redress scheme for said if it was set up it would be funded by religious orders and others who were accountable for chairman of the commission will be supported by a team of commissioner will look at the investigation into the handling of sexual abuse claims in religious schools, which will continue the work of the scoping second commissioner will start work on the investigation into sexual abuse at non-religious run schools.A third commissioner will focus solely on a non-adversarial survivor engagement forum.
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Commission of inquiry to be established into allegations of historical sexual abuse in schools
A commission of inquiry is to be established into allegations of historical sexual abuse in schools. The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the move on foot of a memo brought by Education Minister Helen McEntee. It is understood that Mr Justice Michael MacGrath will be nominated to head the commission. A scoping inquiry published last year found that there were 2,395 allegations of sexual abuse against 884 teachers, priests and others in respect of 308 schools recorded by the religious orders which ran the schools. The Government agreed at the time to establish a statutory inquiry in response to the scoping inquiry. Survivors have raised concerns that this could delay redress or justice. The Government's report into sexual abuse at religious-run boarding and day schools was prompted by revelations of systemic abuse by the Spiritan order at Blackrock College. Further details on the commission's terms of reference and workings will be published today. More to follow...
