A Commission of Investigation into historical sexual abuse in Ireland's day and boarding schools was announced by Ireland's Minister for Education and Youth, Helen McEntee on Tuesday, July 8.
A Commission of Investigation was the primary recommendation of last year's Report of the Scoping Inquiry, which was set up to examine historical sexual abuse in Ireland's day and boarding schools run by religious orders.
The Irish Government has accepted further recommendations of the Scoping Inquiry, including that the Commission examines the handling of allegations, suspicions, and concerns of historical sexual abuse in schools, and that it considers all primary and post-primary schools.
These, and other recommendations, are reflected in the Commission’s Terms of Reference approved by Government, including a Survivor Engagement Programme as part of the Commission.
The Irish Government has agreed to appoint Justice Michael MacGrath as the Chair of the Commission. MacGrath was appointed to the High Court in January 2018 and has been a Judge on the Court of Appeal since June 2024.
Announcing the Commission of Investigation on Tuesday, Minister McEntee said: “The revelations of the Report of the Scoping Inquiry were devastating, and the survivors’ accounts of their experiences have had a profound impact.
"It is clear that survivors want accountability."
McEntee thanked all the survivors, and, in particular, acknowledged the late Mark Ryan, who, with his brother David, "was so important to the establishment of the Scoping Inquiry."
McEntee said the Commission, which has been established under the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004, will have a remit to "examine the handling of sexual abuse in all types of schools, which was a wish expressed by many survivors."
The Commission will have a "significant" Survivor Engagement Programme and will 'widely advertise' when it is ready to gather information from survivors, likely in the coming months after an initial phase of preliminary work.
July 8, 2025: Minister Helen McEntee announces Commission of Investigation into historical sexual abuse in schools. (RollingNews.ie)
Child protection and redress
McEntee said further recommendations of the Scoping Inquiry have also been accepted by the Irish Government, including further development of child protection systems in schools.
"The Report of the Scoping Inquiry found that current child protection systems in our schools are robust and effective, but there is always scope for further development," McEntee said on Tuesday.
Additionally, work is being done to examine the matter of financial redress and how any future scheme could be funded.
"This is important to many survivors, that it is viewed as a measure of accountability for those responsible for sexual abuse in schools, and it is important to get this right," McEntee said.
"All potential levers that can be brought to bear to secure funding from those responsible for sexual abuse in schools must be considered."
Nearly 2,400 allegations of historical sexual abuse in schools
The Scoping Inquiry, the report of which was published in September, was told of some 2,395 allegations of historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders, involving 884 alleged abusers in 308 schools across all parts of the country between the years 1927 to 2013. Most of these allegations were reported from the records of some 42 religious orders that currently or previously ran schools in Ireland.
A high-level Inter-Departmental Group (IDG) was established to examine the recommendations of the Scoping Inquiry, and it has advised that further recommendations relating to child protection, survivors’ experiences of the justice and legal system, support for survivors, and commemoration and memorialisation be accepted.
The Scoping Inquiry report recommended that consideration be given by government to establishing a redress scheme for survivors of historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders. The government considers that a further phase of detailed investigation and data analysis on this issue will be essential, particularly given the expressed wish of many survivors that those running schools where sexual abuse occurred should be held accountable financially.
Support for survivors
Support for those who have experienced sexual abuse is available in Ireland from a number of agencies, including: One in Four, the National Counselling Service, Connect Counselling, the Rape Crisis Centre, An Garda Síochána, Samaritans, Pieta, Text About It, and YourMentalHealth.ie.
There are also supports available for survivors who are living overseas.