Taoiseach Micheál Martin raised the failure of Irish religious orders to engage with historical abuse redress during a meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on 22 May 2026. 

The approximately 45-minute meeting, the first between an Irish Taoiseach and the newly elected pontiff, addressed the Government’s concern that many religious orders have continued to sell assets without allocating funds to survivors of abuse. 

Martin asked that ‘every effort would be made to get the religious orders to engage proactively on the matter of redress.’ Pope Leo acknowledged that the Church ‘has to take ownership’ of the issue. 

For survivors of historical abuse in Ireland who are considering their legal options, these political developments form part of a broader context that is directly relevant to the civil claims process.

The scale of historical abuse in Irish institutions

The figures underlying the Taoiseach’s representations to Pope Leo are significant. A scoping inquiry into abuse in Irish day schools and boarding schools run by religious orders documented 2,395 allegations of sexual abuse involving 884 alleged abusers across 308 schools between 1927 and 2013. 

A Commission of Investigation into historical sexual abuse in those schools was established to examine the matter in detail. The Commission’s findings, when published, will form an important part of the broader public record of what occurred in institutions under the control of religious orders across Ireland during that period.

In parallel, the €267 million historical abuse redress scheme established for survivors of mother and baby homes in Ireland has so far seen only eight religious bodies agree to contribute, out of the many congregations linked to those institutions. 

The Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Education are reported to be examining the legal options available to the Government to compel religious orders that have not engaged to contribute to that scheme. 

The Taoiseach specifically raised with Pope Leo the fact that some orders are selling assets without allocating any funds to survivors, a point that has particular practical significance for the enforceability of any future award or settlement in civil proceedings.

Historical abuse redress schemes and civil claims

Government-administered redress schemes and civil proceedings before the Irish courts are distinct routes that operate independently of one another. A historical abuse redress scheme provides a fixed administrative payment, determined by the scheme’s criteria, without requiring litigation. 

Civil proceedings under the Civil Liability Act 1961 are brought before the courts and can, in appropriate cases, result in a damages award that reflects the survivor’s full circumstances, including the nature and extent of the abuse, the psychological harm sustained, and any financial losses suffered as a consequence.

The two routes are not necessarily mutually exclusive, but the interaction between them depends on the specific facts of each case. 

A survivor who has not applied to an existing scheme, or who believes that civil proceedings better reflect their circumstances, should obtain legal advice on which route is appropriate before making any decision.

The existence of a government redress scheme does not extinguish a survivor’s right to bring civil proceedings, though the terms of any individual scheme should be reviewed carefully with a solicitor.

The legal position for survivors of historical institutional abuse in Ireland

Survivors of historical institutional abuse in Ireland who wish to pursue a civil claim do so under the Civil Liability Act 1961. The applicable limitation period depends on who the proceedings are directed against.

Where a claim is brought against an institution, religious congregation, or organisation, the period is two years from the date of the abuse, or from the date of knowledge, that is, when the survivor first knew or ought reasonably to have known that the injury was significant and attributable to the wrongdoing. 

For claims brought directly against an individual perpetrator, the limitation period is six years from the date of the abuse. These rules are set out in the Statute of Limitations 1957, and the Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Acts 1991 and 2000.

Irish courts have also shown willingness to extend or disapply time limits in cases where psychiatric evidence establishes that the psychological effects of the abuse prevented the survivor from bringing proceedings at an earlier stage. 

This is particularly relevant in cases of historical abuse, where the psychological impact can take many years to manifest fully or to be formally identified by a clinician. Each case is assessed on its own facts, and a solicitor should be consulted at the earliest opportunity.

A further practical consideration in institutional abuse litigation is identifying the correct defendant. Where a religious congregation is structured as an unincorporated association, a court application may be required to obtain the names of current members before proceedings can be served. 

The Irish High Court has confirmed that courts will compel disclosure of membership details in such cases where that information is necessary to advance proceedings. Survivors should be advised that this procedural step, where required, does not prevent a claim from being brought.

What the Taoiseach’s meeting with Pope Leo means in practice

The Taoiseach’s representations to Pope Leo XIV are a political, not a legal, development, and they do not create new rights for survivors or alter the existing legal framework. 

What they do reflect is a continued and increasing focus, at the highest levels of Government and Church, on the failure of religious orders in Ireland to engage adequately with the consequences of widespread historical abuse. 

The Pope’s acknowledgement that the Church must ‘take ownership’ of the issue is a statement of principle rather than a binding commitment.

For survivors, the practical significance of these developments is twofold. 

  • First, the Commission of Investigation into historical sexual abuse in schools will, over time, produce findings that may assist in establishing the broader context of what occurred, identify responsible institutions, and strengthen the evidential foundation for civil claims where they are brought. 
  • Second, the Government’s exploration of legal mechanisms to compel religious orders to contribute to historical abuse redress schemes may, if successful, have implications for the assets available to meet any civil award or settlement reached by a survivor through the courts.

Neither development removes the need for survivors to obtain individual legal advice on their own circumstances. 

A Commission of Investigation is a public inquiry, not a civil claim, and its findings do not automatically translate into a legal entitlement to compensation. 

The route to compensation for an individual survivor remains through a civil claim, a historical abuse redress scheme, or both, depending on the facts. 

Survivors should not wait for Commission findings before seeking legal advice, as the applicable limitation periods continue to run.

How Coleman Legal can help with a historical abuse redress claim in Ireland

Coleman Legal LLP acts for survivors of historical and institutional abuse in civil proceedings before the Irish courts. 

Our sexual abuse team comprises Philip Treacy, Diane Treanor, Kathrin Coleman, and Patrick Coleman, each of whom has experience representing clients in cases involving religious institutions, schools, and other organisations. 

The team has acted in cases where court applications were required to identify defendants within unincorporated religious congregations, and in cases where the psychological effects of abuse meant that the applicable limitation period fell to be assessed from the date of knowledge rather than the date of the abuse itself.

If you or a family member has been affected by historical abuse in Ireland and wishes to understand the legal options available, our team can advise you in confidence. 

We will review your circumstances, advise on the applicable limitation period, and explain the steps involved in bringing civil proceedings. 

We will also explain the funding arrangements for your case at your initial consultation. Contact Coleman Legal on 1800-844-104 or email us at [email protected]