Historical Sexual Abuse in Religious Run Schools in Ireland – What Survivors Need to Know

In September 2024, a 700 page Government report laid bare decades of sexual abuse in Irish Schools. The Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders, led by senior counsel Mary O’Toole, documented 2,395 allegations involving 884 alleged abusers across 308 schools run by 42 religious orders. The abuse spanned the period from 1927 to 2013, with the highest concentration of incidents occurring between the early 1960s and the early 1990s.

The Scoping Inquiry was established on 7 March 2023 following the broadcast of the RTE documentary Blackrock Boys, which exposed historic sexual abuse at Blackrock College in Dublin, run by the Spiritan congregation. As part of a Survivor Engagement process, 205 people completed questionnaires and 149 gave in-depth interviews or written submissions. Their accounts described being molested, stripped, raped and drugged in classrooms, dormitories, sports facilities and even their own homes, amidst what the report called an atmosphere of terror and silence.

Special Education Schools and the Scale of Abuse

Among the most disturbing findings was the disproportionate concentration of allegations in special education schools: 590 allegations across 17 institutions involving 190 alleged abusers. Two Brothers of Charity schools (Lota in Glanmire, Co Cork and the Holy Family School in Renmore, Co Galway) accounted for more than half of these allegations. Many survivors believed the abuse was so pervasive that it could not have gone unnoticed, and spoke of a culture of cover-up within religious orders and, in some cases, collusion between the Church and the State.

The Lasting Impact

The impact on survivors has been devastating and lifelong. Many described mental and physical health problems, addiction, failed relationships, lost career opportunities and intergenerational trauma affecting their families. Some chose not to have children, whilst others said it changed the way they parented. Many became so alienated from religion that they could not bring themselves to enter a church, even for a parent’s funeral. As one survivor stated, their childhood stopped the day the abuse started.

The Current Position

The Scoping Inquiry recommended that a statutory Commission of Investigation be established, that the Government consider a redress scheme funded by the religious orders, and that a Survivor Engagement Programme be put in place. On 8 July 2025, the Government acted on the principal recommendation by formally establishing the Commission of Investigation into the Handling of Historical Child Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools, chaired by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath.

The Commission’s remit is significantly broader than the Scoping Inquiry. It covers the handling of allegations in all day and boarding schools in Ireland, not just those run by religious orders, for the period 1927 to 2013. It is required to report within five years. In April 2026, the Commission issued an update inviting survivors and others with relevant information to participate. It is important to note that the Commission investigates how allegations were handled by schools and other bodies, it does not investigate individual cases of abuse and cannot award compensation,

As of August 2026, no redress scheme has been established. Minister for education Helen McEntee has stated that the Government will “pursue all levers available” to compel religious orders to fund redress, but an Inter-Departmental Group has advised that further work is needed before a decision can be taken. Survivor advocacy groups, including One in Four, have criticised the delay, and survivors have argued that the State’s obligations under the ECHR judgment in O’Keeffe v Ireland should not be postponed pending the Commission’s work.

Jak możemy pomóc

Survivors do not need to wait for the Commission to report before taking legal advice. P.A. Duffy and Co Solicitors has extensive experience representing survivors of historical abuse across the island of Ireland.

If you or someone you know has been affected by historical abuse in a religious-run school in Ireland, we encourage you to get in touch with our team. All enquiries are treated with the utmost confidentiality.

To speak with a member of our team, call us on 028 8772 2102 or email enquiries@paduffy.com.

This information is intended for general guidance purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice specific to your circumstances.