Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

I ask that the Department of Education and Science open a book of condolence in that Department for the victims of child abuse. I am putting this request on the record because it was made to me by quite a number of victims of child abuse recently.

Virtually all the children in the reformatories, industrial schools and Marlborough House, which the Department of Education was directly responsible for, were of school-going age. The Department had a statutory responsibility to fund, inspect and supervise the welfare and education of those children while they remained in those institutions up to when they were 16. It was negligent over the decades and failed to do what it was statutorily obliged to in protecting the well-being and welfare of the children and care for their needs in those institutions. The Department allowed the needs of the institutions to be put before the needs of the children and consequently the educational provision and attainment, along with the well-being of these children, was "deplorable", according to the Ryan report.

One can pick any of the conclusions to give an indication of the dreadful operations in these institutions which were ostensibly and statutorily under the care of the Department of Education. Chapter 6.01 of volume IV states:

Physical and emotional abuse and neglect were features of the institutions. Sexual abuse occurred in many of them, particularly boys' institutions.

Chapter 19.06 of volume III states:

More than 90% of all witnesses reported being physically abused while in out-of-home care. In addition to being hit and beaten witnesses described other forms of abuse such as being flogged, kicked and otherwise physically assaulted, scalded, burned and held under water. Witnesses reported being beaten publicly in front of other staff, residents, patients and pupils as well as in private. Many reports were heard of witnesses being beaten naked and partially clothed, both in private and in front of others. They reported being beaten and physically assaulted with implements that were for the specific purpose of inflicting pain and punishment, such as leather straps, bamboo canes and wooden sticks. In addition, witnesses gave evidence that everyday implements were routinely utilised for the purpose of striking children. Witnesses described pervasive abuse as part of their daily lives.

That is an example of the regime which operated in 216 institutions throughout the country, mainly industrial schools and reformatories, which were under the aegis of the Department of Education. It had the responsibility to finance, inspect and supervise the facilities and it had responsibility for the 165,000 children of the nation put under care in them. The Department was grossly negligent of them.

The Department of Education was for decades a major obstacle to children and their parents obtaining any redress or satisfaction when they made complaints about the dreadful treatment they experienced in the institutions under its supervision. Not only did the Department neglect these people but it was also an obstacle to them achieving any redress.

The Department, which has failed the children entrusted to its care, should as the State institution with the greatest specific responsibility make a symbolic statement or gesture of apology and atonement by opening a book of condolence in its main office on Marlborough Street in Dublin 1.

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