Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste for his response. I endorse his comments and his encouragement of anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse, in school or elsewhere, to report that matter to the Garda. I would also be glad to engage constructively with the Tánaiste and the Government on the structure of an inquiry. Survivors have contacted me to express their view that an inquiry and a process should engage, in particular, in ensuring that safeguards will be put in place to ensure that abuse like this will not happen in the future, cultural changes that will have to be made in different institutions, radical changes in systems of governance and, crucially, supports for survivors and victims. I look forward to a further debate on that..

I stress again that this is not just an historical issue. People are still currently in leadership roles, in particular in Blackrock College, who have had continuous ongoing involvement with that college for 40 years. I am well aware that one individual, currently in a key leadership role, was told of specific abuse allegations in 2002 and has in the past decade been approached by other survivors who have been told by him to go away and not return unless they have proof and a solicitor with them. These are current issues and not just historical ones, and survivors do want to see them addressed by us as legislators and by the State.

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