Ireland Unveils Scale of Abuse in Religious Schools: 2,400 Allegations Revealed

A government-commissioned report has revealed nearly 2,400 allegations of sexual abuse across more than 300 schools run by religious orders in Ireland. This marks the first time the extent of abuse has been publicly disclosed, with Education Minister Norma Foley describing the findings as “truly shocking.”

The report, a “scoping inquiry” led by lawyer Mary O’Toole SC, uncovered that 884 individuals were accused of abuse within 42 religious orders, which either currently or formerly managed schools in Ireland. More than half of these accused individuals are now deceased.

The report, published on Tuesday evening, showed that religious orders and the schools themselves were the primary sources of data on these allegations. A total of 2,395 allegations of sexual abuse were recorded across 308 schools, but the report cautioned that the actual number of incidents is likely higher, as abuse is often under-reported.

Special schools were notably affected, with 590 allegations recorded in 17 institutions involving 190 alleged abusers. The survivors recounted harrowing experiences, with 149 providing interviews or written submissions to the inquiry. The abuse often occurred in classrooms, dormitories, sports facilities, and during extracurricular activities, and was frequently accompanied by extreme violence.

Victims described the pervasive power of the Catholic Church during that time, which they said silenced them and made them feel unable to confide in anyone, including their own parents.

In response to the report, the Irish government has agreed to launch a full statutory investigation to further probe the extent and impact of these abuses.