Details of a Government inquiry into allegations of sexual abuse by priests at some of the country’s leading private fee-paying schools are unlikely to be announced until the New Year.
Minister for Education Norma Foley at the start of this month privately informed TDs and Senators that it was her hope to announce before Christmas what form an inquiry into past abuse at the schools run by religious congregations would take.
Calls for an inquiry followed, in particular, recent revelations of historical child sexual abuse in schools run by the Spiritan congregation, particularly at their Willow Park school and Blackrock College in south Dublin.
Gardaí are investigating complaints made and any criminal charges arising in related cases from what would, inevitably, be lengthy investigations and subsequent court hearings could have meant a significant delay before any such inquiry into abuse at relevant schools is established.
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However, a Department of Education spokesman said on Monday night that while an inquiry will need to be carefully considered so as not to impede any Garda investigations, it will “not be necessary to await the outcome of garda investigations before establishing an enquiry”.
A source suggested that details of the inquiry would likely be announced in January.
‘Blackrock Boys’
A series of fresh abuse allegation has emerged following the RTÉ Radio Documentary on One episode ‘Blackrock Boys’, broadcast on November 6th last. It featured brothers Mark (61) and David (58) revealing their abuse on the Blackrock campus by Spiritan priest Fr Tom O’Byrne in the 1970s.
It led to a torrent of claims being made against other Spiritan priests as well as clerics in other religious congregations which also ran some of the most prestigious schools in Ireland.
Asked by The Irish Times as to the current status of the Government inquiry mentioned by Ms Foley almost three weeks ago, a Department of Education spokesman said in a statement that “while the department is not yet in a position to provide a definitive timeline, it is important that survivors know that there will be a serious response and Government is considering how this can best be achieved, having regard to the ongoing Garda investigation and the wishes of survivors”.
‘Fully investigated’
The statement continued: “Minister Foley is continuing to engage with survivors and others in this regard.”
However, it added that “crimes that have been committed should, in the first instance, be fully investigated by An Garda Síochána and it is important to ensure that any such investigation would not be compromised”.
The department later clarified that it “has not indicated that it would be necessary to await the outcome of Garda investigations” before establishing an inquiry.
“Any inquiry has to be carefully considered so as not to impede any Garda investigations,” it said.
The department encouraged “all who have been subjected to, or a witness to, clerical sexual abuse to contact An Garda Síochána. The Sexual Crime Management Unit at the Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) is the central point of contact for all reports of clerical sexual abuse”.
The statement noted that “a dedicated email address (GNPSB_SCMU@garda.ie) has been set up to support the reporting of such crimes”.
It said people who wish to report such crimes can also contact their local garda station, the Sexual Crime Management Unit on (01) 6663430 or the Garda Child Sexual Abuse Reporting Line on 1800 555 222.
