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Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Schools run by religious orders
From Education Scoping Inquiry
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The government approved the establishment of a scoping inquiry to inform the government’s response to revelations of historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders.
The Minister for Education Norma Foley appointed a Senior Counsel, Mary O’Toole SC, as the Lead of the scoping inquiry. Access the Terms of Reference.
The Report of the Scoping Inquiry is available below. The Report is in five volumes and there is a separate section with Acknowledgements and a Table of Contents. This will help you to navigate through the volumes.
Please note that this report contains detailed descriptions of sexual abuse, physical violence and references to suicide. It may be distressing to read.
Report of the Scoping Inquiry: Acknowledgements and Table of Contents
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The purpose of the scoping inquiry is to inform the government’s response to revelations of historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders. Ms O’Toole has submitted a report to the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, including recommendations on next steps.
The work of the Lead has been informed by reports and inputs from experts across a range of areas including child protection, restorative justice and, most importantly, survivor engagement.
The Minister has considered the contents of the report and the report has been brought to Government. The government has approved the publication of the Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders this morning and has accepted its principal recommendation to establish a Commission of Investigation.
Engagement with survivors has been central to the work of the scoping inquiry. The survivor engagement process provided an opportunity for the views of those who are most directly affected to be heard clearly, and ensured that the recommendations set out in the Lead’s final report to the Minister are informed by the outcomes sought by survivors.
The survivor engagement process has been led by child protection expert Kieran McGrath and conducted by facilitators trained in trauma-informed practice. More information about the survivor engagement process is available.
Should you have any queries, you can contact the scoping inquiry by emailing survivorengagement@esi.gov.ie
If you prefer, you can call +353 (0)90 648 3610 between 9.15am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, or outside of those hours, you can leave a voicemail.
Please be aware that if you provide details relating to your experience as a child, staff of the Department of Education may be obliged to report this matter to Tusla. This is so that Tusla can assess whether further steps need to be taken.
Support for those who have experienced sexual abuse is available from a number of agencies listed below. If you are unsure about what type of support you need, speaking to your GP is advised.
One in Four provides support for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse:
- phone: +353 1 662 4070
- email: info@oneinfour.ie
- website: www.oneinfour.ie
The HSE’s National Counselling Service provides a professional, confidential counselling and psychotherapy service to people age 18 or older who experienced childhood abuse. Access to the service can be made by self-referral or referral by a GP.
The service is available in all HSE Health Regions. Contact information varies depending on your location in Ireland but contact details for each local area can be found at: Referring yourself to the NCS.
Connect Counselling is a HSE telephone counselling and support service for adults who have experienced childhood abuse. It is staffed by qualified counsellors and is available Wednesday to Sunday evenings from 5pm-9pm.
Republic of Ireland: Freephone 1800 477 477
Northern Ireland and UK: 00800 477 477 77
Outside ROI and UK: 00353 (0)1 865 7495
Website: connectcounselling.ie
Offering a free and confidential listening and support service for anyone who has been raped, sexually assaulted, sexually harassed or sexually abused at any time in their lives.
24-hour National Helpline: 1800 77 88 88
Email: counselling@rcc.ie (office hours)
Child Sexual Abuse Freephone - 24-hour line for reporting a complaint of child sexual abuse: 1800 555 222
Complaints of sexual abuse can also be made in any local Garda station.
Samaritans is available for confidential, non-judgmental, listening support. You can call or email Samaritans anytime, day and night:
- freephone: 116 123
- email: jo@samaritans.ie
- website: samaritans.ie
Pieta provide counselling at their centres nationwide, and telephone support. Their services are for people who are at risk of suicide or self-harm, and for people who have been bereaved by suicide:
- freephone 1800 247 247 anytime, day or night
- text HELP to 51444 (standard message rates apply)
- visit www.pieta.ie for more information
A free text service providing emotional support to anyone experiencing a crisis, through engagement in a text conversation with a trained and supervised volunteer:
- text HELLO to 50808 to start a conversation
- visit www.textaboutit.ie for more information
Visit www.yourmentalhealth.ie for information on how to mind your mental health, support others, or to find a service in your area. On the site you can find information on supports provided by HSE-funded organisations, including self-help, counselling, helplines and online supports. You can also call the HSE Your Mental Health Information Line on freephone 1800 111 888 for information on mental health services in your area. The Information Line is open anytime, day or night.
For those living in Britain who would like to avail of supports locally, there are a number of organisations – financially supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs through the Emigrant Support Programme - that offer support.
ICAP is the only specialist British-based counselling and psychotherapy service supporting people from the Irish community facing a range of emotional issues, including depression, anxiety and stress. They have particular expertise in working with those who have survived childhood abuse and offer a free therapy service to survivors of institutional abuse:
- phone: 0207 7272 2906
- address: 96 Moray Rd, Finsbury Park, London N4 3L
- email: London info@icap.org.uk
- email: West Midlands info@icapbirmingham.org.uk
- website: icap.org.uk
The London Irish Centre’s survivors integrated service provides support and advocacy to survivors and former residents of Irish institutions living in London and the South East. They can be contacted on 0207 916 2222, and community@londonirishcentre.org
Fréa – Renewing Roots is a partnership between Irish Community Care, Leeds Irish Health and Homes, and Irish Community Care Manchester, that supports survivors and former residents of Irish institutions, as well as offering emotional and practical support. Phone: 07458 138 682, email: renewingroots@frea.org.uk
Coventry Irish Society works with survivors and former residents of Irish institutions. Phone: 0247 625 6629, email: simon.mccarthy@covirishsoc.org.uk
The Coalition of Irish Immigration Centres provides support to the Irish/Irish American communities they serve. Further information is available and details of the centres are available.
For people living outside Ireland, Britain and the United States, their local Irish Embassy or Consulate can provide details of organisations who may be able to assist. A list of embassies and consulates is available from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
If you wish to report an allegation of sexual abuse you can contact your local Garda station, the Garda Sexual Crime Management Unit (01-6663430) or the Garda Child Sexual Abuse Reporting Line (1800 555 222), which is a confidential and free service available on a 24/7 basis. Alternatively, you can email GNPSB_SCMU@garda.ie
The Department of Education is providing administrative support to the scoping inquiry.
All child protection concerns received by staff of the Department of Education must be dealt with in accordance with the department’s procedures for responding to child protection concerns which come to the attention of staff of the Department of Education. These procedures set out what is required of all staff of the Department of Education when they receive or become aware of information which contains a possible child protection or welfare concern.