Abuse victims submitted a petition to the Northern Ireland Assembly Monday demanding that an inquiry be established that would investigate institutional abuse in church run institutions in Northern Ireland in the same way the Ryan Report documented the abuses in the South.

The petition, which was signed by 6,000 people, was called “Justice for victims of institutional abuse in Northern Ireland.”

“Redress has got to happen and there has got to be an inquiry into this abuse. Hopefully things will get done as quickly as possible. There are still people suffering in silence who still can’t talk about it," said abuse victim Deirdre O'Donoghue.

“We need to move on and we can’t go on carrying this for the rest of our lives,” added O’Donoghue, who was abused at Nazareth House in South Belfast, which was run by nuns.

The Sisters of Nazareth were also presented the petition and the religious order issued an apology for any abuse or neglect caused by its members.