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Extra.ie
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Redress is essential in holding religious orders and schools to account, say abuse survivors
Survivors of child sex abuse in Irish schools have questioned the establishment of a new Commission of Investigation without an accompanying mechanism for redress. Advocacy groups warned that without redress, educational institutions and religious orders will be able to 'avoid accountability' for abuse of children and said the State inquiry 'must not become an obstacle to justice'. Education Minister Helen McEntee yesterday announced details of a Commission of Investigation into historical child sex abuse in schools across Ireland, not just those being run by religious orders. Justice Minister Helen McEntee. Pic: Eamonn Farrell/ The need for a commission was highlighted by a scoping inquiry last year, which identified some 2,395 allegations of sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders, involving 884 alleged abusers in 308 schools across the country between 1927 and 2013. Most allegations were from the records of 42 religious orders. Ms McEntee said that institutions and religious orders will be 'held accountable' for 'awful' crimes against children and will be expected to fund any potential redress scheme. The commission – to be chaired by Judge Michael McGrath – will examine the handling of allegations, suspicions and concerns of sex abuse in schools; failure to treat concerns, causes and responsibility for such failure; failure to prevent harm; and the concealment of child sex abuse. His Hon. Mr Justice Michael McGrath. Pic: Collins Courts It will take five years to complete at a cost of tens of millions of euros. A separate body of work will be undertaken 'in tandem' with the commission's work to explore how a redress scheme could operate, with religious orders and educational institutions expected to pay any resulting compensation. 'The most appropriate thing would be for orders to come forward themselves to offer redress schemes,' Ms McEntee said. Advocacy groups One in Four and Restore Together – set up to support survivors of sexual abuse in Spiritan schools – have welcomed the establishment of the Commission of Investigation and the commitment to expand its remit to all schools, but sounded the alarm over further redress delays. Justice Minister Helen McEntee. Pic: Fran Veale While the Spiritans have already publicly committed to undertaking their own redress scheme, Restore Together said that the inquiry should not 'inadvertently shield institutions from taking immediate responsibility'. 'Justice delayed is justice denied. Redress cannot wait,' it stated. Spokesman Philip Feddis added: 'How will the Government ensure that redress – both financial and therapeutic – advances and concludes in tandem with the five-year time limit prescribed by the minister?' One in Four chief Deirdre Kenny said: 'While we appreciate this is complex, survivors have shown immense resilience and patience; therefore, we are concerned about any further delay. Delays disadvantage survivors and may allow institutions to avoid accountability and responsibility.' Jen Cummins, Social Democrats TD. Pic: File Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins said the Government must be firm when seeking compensation from religious orders. 'We cannot have a repeat of this Government going to religious orders, cap in hand, pleading for contributions – as happened, most recently, with the mother and baby home redress scheme,' Ms Cummins, education spokeswoman for her party, said. 'If religious orders are unwilling to contribute to redress, the Government must go after them with a legal team, not a begging bowl.' The Education Minister also promised that the Government will not repeat the mistakes of the Farrelly Commission of Investigation, which dragged on for years and ran over budget. 'I am confident that this can be done within a five-year time period,' Ms McEntee said. The establishment of the new Commission of Investigation comes less than three months after the publication of the final report from the beleaguered Farrelly Commission. The Farrelly probe examined the care of a young disabled woman – 'Grace' – in a foster home in the southeast of the country. The inquiry was originally meant to take place over one year. However, the publication of the final report was delayed on nine separate occasions. It will ultimately cost close to €20million and failed to make any substantive findings of abuse – despite interim reports doing so. The report was widely criticised by children's rights advocates and disability campaigners, while the entire Commission of Investigation model came under scrutiny. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the State must evaluate 'whether there is a better way of cutting to the truth much more effectively'
RTÉ News
16-06-2025
- General
- RTÉ News
Spiritans commit to redress scheme details this summer
The Spiritans religious order has said it hopes to provide further details on a redress scheme for victims and survivors of abuse at its schools by the end of the summer. Earlier this year, advocacy group Restore Together called on the Spiritans to implement a redress scheme no later than June for those who suffered child sex abuse. Restore Together represents many of the survivors of child sex abuse suffered at schools run by the Spiritan Order, including Blackrock College. In today's open letter, leader of the Catholic order in Ireland Fr Brendan Carr said the process to set up a redress scheme has been slow. "It has been very frustrating for victims/survivors, and their advocates, who have shown immeasurable patience, and it is important to acknowledge that it is the cooperation and commitment of such advocates that has guided and shaped a 'victim-centred' restorative process, including a just formula for redress to those waiting," he said. Fr Carr said finding the funds for the scheme is the main reason for the delay and structures have been set up to address the issue. "The Province has accelerated our efforts by establishing a dedicated financial taskforce, the Finance Advisory Team, with the expertise to lead a strategic restructuring of the Province's assets. "This taskforce is working to fast-track the development of sustainable funding streams, including immediate and medium-term provisions for redress," he said. The group has welcomed Fr Carr's letter and called it a step in the right direction. However, it added it would like to see "more urgency". The letter also reminded victims that free counselling can be accessed through their safeguarding office.
Irish Times
07-05-2025
- Irish Times
Spiritans accused of putting own interests before those of abuse victims
The Spiritan congregation has been accused of putting its own interests, needs and concerns before survivors of abuse in schools run by them. The Restore Together advocacy group for survivors of abuse in Spiritan-run schools has said: 'Our experience is that the Spiritans have failed at every stage, from the time of the abuse onwards, to put the interests and rights of victims/survivors first. The Spiritans have invariably put their interests, needs and concerns and those of the institution first.' The accusation is in a lengthy letter written on behalf of the group by survivor Philip Feddis, who attended Blackrock College. Last month it was sent to past pupils' unions at Blackrock College, Willow Park, St Mary's College, St Michael's College and Templeogue College, all in Dublin, and Rockwell College in Co Tipperary. Easter, it said, was 'a time for Spiritan priests to reflect on the adequacy of their response to child sex abuse'. READ MORE The 'victim/survivor experience' involving Spiritans was 'not one of compassion', it said. 'Victims/survivors feel frustrated, disappointed, angry and worse. The ongoing delay in implementing the comprehensive restorative programme has increased the suffering of victims/survivors in many ways. It is not compassionate, it is cruel.' It pointed out that 'a comprehensive, victim-centred redress scheme and a testimony-gathering (truth-telling) project has still not been delivered and the Spiritans have made no commitment to a start date for either. This is completely unacceptable to victims/survivors; most of us are over 60, who have already waited far too long for justice.' [ Spiritans have paid €8.8m in settlements to 125 abuse survivors since 1998 Opens in new window ] Because of the age factor, 'urgent delivery is vital for the success of these redress and testimony programmes', the letter said. 'A constant refrain is that victims/survivors are tired. We are tired of being ignored and marginalised. We are tired of feeling betrayed and abandoned by institutions that were supposed to protect and care for us as children.' It noted how 'Restore Together recently called on the Spiritans to finalise the redress scheme without further delay and have it up and running no later than June 1st this year. The Spiritans have not responded to this call. We in Restore Together have been more than patient.' Survivors, the group said, are 'tired of having to fight and push the Spiritans every step of the way to fully and comprehensively face up to the issue of child sex abuse in their schools and `do the right thing'. We are tired of being told we will have to wait.' The 'historic power imbalance that we as victims/survivors experienced as children and which facilitated our abuse is still present and underpinning the current situation. This compounds the suffering of victims/survivors and has to be ended for once and for all. The Spiritans must take all immediate steps to bring justice to victims/survivors without having to be pushed every step of the way to do so,' it said.
