The Government is determined that any redress scheme for survivors of historic sexual abuse in schools will involve a “substantial contribution” from religious orders. 

Cabinet was today briefed by Education Minister Norma Foley on a scoping inquiry by senior counsel Mary O’Toole.

The report runs to over 700 pages and Irish Times journalist Pat Leahy told The Pat Kenny Show it mostly makes for “grim” reading.

“It goes back to two years ago with an RTÉ radio documentary called Blackrock Boys,” he said.

“The centrepiece of that was two brothers, David and Mark Ryan, who were both sexually abused by priests at Blackrock and the junior school that’s attached to Blackrock College - Willow Park.

“They didn’t know about each others’ abuse - they only found out about it many years after.”

Education Minister Norma Foley speaks at Government Buildings, 27-2-24. Image: Leah Farrell/© RollingNews.ie

Mr Leahy said the scoping inquiry and documentary “opened the gates for a medium-sized flood of similar stories” from people in other schools as well.

It is understood Minister Foley has now received Cabinet sign off for a statutory inquiry that will further examine the allegations of abuse.

“When that statutory inquiry completes its work, there’s likely to be a redress scheme for survivors of abuse,” Mr Leahy said.

“Not just [of] Blackrock but in boarding and day schools all over the country run by religious orders.”

'A caution in Government'

Whatever the conclusions, Mr Leahy said officials do not want the State to pick up the full tab for any redress scheme.

“There is a feeling - maybe you can call it determination - in Government that the orders themselves will make a substantial contribution to the costs of any redress scheme,” he said.

“The only thing is, we’ve heard that before… There’d certainly be a caution in Government that whatever agreement it comes to with religious orders that it’s a good deal more watertight in terms of sharing the burden of the costs than previous ones.”

Minister Foley is to hold a press conference on the issue later this afternoon.

Main image: A view of Blackrock College in Dublin. Picture by: Alamy.com