Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Here we find another horrific story of abuse repeating itself again. It is another legacy of abuse from a religious order in Ireland. In Ireland, from the foundation of the State and possibly until the 1980s and 1990s, there was an omerta and fear connected to criticising a religious person, and such situations arise again and again in institutions - in mother and baby homes, schools and across a range of places where children were put into the care of religious orders. In some settings, Christian Brothers had carte blancheto carry out the abuse of young boys and girls.

I commend the brave survivors of abuse at the hands of the Spiritan priests in Blackrock College and other institutions. Their bravery in speaking out has given others the courage to do so. The sheer fear of speaking out allowed the abuse to continue until some brave people eventually had the courage to speak out. We can only wonder how many people who were continually abused were affected by mental health, drug and alcohol abuse and suicide and are no longer here to speak out. I suggest that the number is significant. We think of them also today.

The culture of silence within religious orders also aided and abetted the abusers, who were moved to other areas or schools where in many cases they continued their evil abuse of children. It has come to light in the case of the Spiritans that some of those involved in abuse continued to live on the campuses in Blackrock, Templeogue and Rockwell in Tipperary. I would like to know if that is still the case. Is anyone connected to cases of abuse still living in any of those places? If so, they must be dealt with straight away. The Spiritan order also operated overseas on missions in Nigeria, west Africa, North Africa, and Brazil. Is this a worldwide legacy? If so, the Spiritans must extend support to anyone affected by the horrific actions of their priests.

At least 233 men have made allegations of abuse against 77 Irish priests from the Spiritans, some of whom were serial abusers and had unchecked access to children. Meanwhile, a man who is believed to be the first person publicly to allege sexual assault at Castleknock College has said that any fresh inquiry or review into historical abuse in schools should be extended until each member of a religious order who is still alive, who abused or facilitated the abuse of children, faces justice. I commend the Minister on acknowledging the calls for an inquiry. We must ensure that any inquiry process is the right one for survivors and will deliver the outcomes they feel are most important. We must keep the victims at the core of our thinking and actions. People in the order must be held to account and the religious orders must pay for their crimes of covering up the sexual abuse of children in their care. That is the least the survivors deserve, and those victims who are no longer with us today.

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