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Historical sexual abuse in schools

The O’Toole Report on Historical Sexual Abuse in Schools reveals horrific accounts of abuse spanning decades, affecting thousands of survivors in Irish day and boarding schools run by religious orders. The report calls for a Commission of Investigation, which the Government has accepted.

Scoping inquiry report on historical sexual abuse in schools published

The detailed report of the Scoping Inquiry into historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders has been released. It includes distressing accounts from survivors. To access the full report, please click here.

List of Schools named in Scoping Inquiry on Sexual Abuse

Credit: The Journal

The Scoping Inquiry report has listed schools where historical allegations of sexual abuse have been made. To view the complete list and details, please click here.

Commission of Investigation

The O’Toole Report on historical sexual abuse in Schools

The report of Mary O’Toole SC on historical sexual abuse was published on the 4th of September, 2024.  The report outlined horrific sexual abuse inflicted on children in day and boarding schools run by religious orders.

Ms. O’Toole S.C. was requested to carry out a scoping inquiry and provide a report to the Minister of Education in accordance with the Terms of Reference dated the 7th of March, 2023.  The analysis and review were extensive, and the resulting report was truly shocking.

The inquiry was informed of 2395 allegations of sexual abuse in schools between 1927 and 2013. The abuse is alleged to have occurred in 308 schools across the country and by 884 alleged abusers.

The report recommended the establishment of a commission of investigation.  The Government has accepted this.

Support Groups

If you or someone you care about has suffered sexual abuse, there are various support organisations you can contact

• Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) is a national organisation that provides support, information, and advocacy to survivors of sexual violence and abuse. They also work to raise awareness about sexual violence and to promote social change. Visit Site
• Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) provides a range of services for survivors of rape, sexual assault, and childhood sexual abuse, including counselling, therapy, and support groups. They also offer a helpline service that is available to anyone who has been affected by sexual violence. Visit Site
• One in Four is an organisation that provides counselling and therapy services to adults who have been affected by childhood sexual abuse. They also run a helpline and have a website with resources and information. Visit Site
• The ISPCC is the largest child protection charity in Ireland, providing support and help to children who have suffered abuse of any kind. Visit Site
• The HSE has a dedicated service, the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit, that provides a range of services, including medical treatment and forensic examination, to survivors of sexual abuse.

Our team

Our team has experience dealing with cases involving historical sexual abuse in schools and can help you seek justice. If you are a survivor of sexual abuse, please don’t hesitate to contact us for confidential advice.

Contacted us at:

Coleman Legal LLP

Solicitors
84 Talbot Street, Dublin 1
D01 YX60

Contact Details

Free Phone: 1800-844-104
Fax: (01) 5312727
Email: [email protected]
Online Enquiry Form: Apply