Religious orders must be compelled to account for the litany of horrific sexual abuse carried out for decades in church-run schools, according to Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns.
“The scale of the abuse outlined in senior counsel Mary O’Toole’s scoping inquiry report is staggering. It is another stark reminder of the devastating consequences of the State allowing religious orders to play such a dominant role in our education system.
“This country owes a debt of gratitude to those survivors who participated in the inquiry and bravely shared their harrowing experiences. There is little doubt that many more will come forward when the Commission of Investigation gets under way.
“The terms of reference of a statutory investigation must also expand on the scoping inquiry by including non-Catholic schools.
“We know from previous abuse scandals that the State cannot rely on the moral obligations of religious orders to do the right thing – there needs to be a legal obligation. At every turn, church bodies have had to be brought kicking and screaming to the negotiating table when it comes to contributing to redress schemes for survivors.
“The most recent example of this has been the failure so far to secure a single cent from religious orders towards the mother and baby homes redress scheme.
“There must be collective Cabinet responsibility for decisions relating to obtaining redress from religious orders – it cannot be the responsibility of just one minister. Whatever the total bill for redress, the church must make a percentage contribution to it, not a flat figure.
“If they refuse, the State must take action and seize assets.
“Yesterday’s revelations should mark a turning point in how the State deals with the church. Every power available under the 2004 legislation underpinning Commissions of Investigation must be used to compel religious orders to account for the catastrophic failings and cover-ups that led to the sexual abuse of thousands of children under their care.
“It also highlights the urgent need to speed up the school divestment programme. The disproportionate influence of the Catholic Church on our schools is a relic from another era and must end.”
September 4, 2024