The Government is considering a “survivor-led” inquiry into the handling of child sexual abuse in schools, according to Minister for Education Norma Foley.
She said although there are Garda inquiries into allegations of abuse, the Government will be “proactive” in working with survivors of abuse to scope out how to move forward without impacting any criminal investigations.
“The Government is currently looking at what opportunities there are and how best to proceed,” she said.
“But Government is equally clear that it will be survivor-led: the views, the thoughts, the experiences, and the wishes of survivors will very much be to the fore here. So, there is a body of work to be done now,” Ms Foley said., adding this will take place in the “shortest possible time frame”.
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The number of people who have made allegations in relation to claims of abuse at Spiritan-run schools – including Blackrock College, Templeogue College and St Mary’s in Dublin, and Rockwell College in Co Tipperary – has risen to almost 300.
Other religious congregations such as the Vincentian Community – which ran schools including Castleknock College – have also confirmed receiving allegations of abuse in their schools.
Ms Foley was also asked if it was acceptable that an individual in a “key leadership role” in Blackrock College was informed of specific abuse allegations 20 years ago and told other survivors who approached him to return with “proof and a solicitor”, as heard in the Dáil this week.
She said: “Well, I think we must be very clear, and I think Government has been very clear ... that survivors must be heard and that action must be taken. We must do what is necessary and that behoves all of us ... to ensure that the care of survivors must come first, and the action – where action is required – must be taken, and it must be taken immediately. We’re in that space now.”
The Minister was speaking to reporters ahead of the annual conference of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network in Killarney, Co Kerry.
Earlier this week, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said a non-statutory inquiry based on the Scally inquiry into the CervicalCheck scandal could be seen as a “a good model, albeit in a very different circumstance to statutory ones which could also be very good models”.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he will be speaking to the Opposition next week and that he wants to meet victims and survivors of abuse.
Asked if an inquiry could extend to schools other than Blackrock, Mr Martin suggested there could be different modules adding: “We want it to be victim-led so we’ll meet with the victims.”
