Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

The report into abuse in religious-run schools is horrific. Hundreds of predators subjected thousands of children to relentless sexual abuse. Survivors described being molested, stripped naked, raped and drugged in an atmosphere of terror and silence. The abuse happened in classrooms, offices and sports facilities. Some were sexually abused in their own homes by predators who had gained their family's trust. Nowhere and no one was safe. The scale of abuse is such that gardaí are now investigating if it was organised and co-ordinated by paedophile rings. What we are dealing with is a scandal of unprecedented and unparalleled proportions. These predators acted with impunity, were protected by religious orders and destroyed the lives of countless innocent children.

The immense bravery of those who have come forward to tell their stories is inspiring. I acknowledge the two brothers whose courage in speaking to RTÉ about their abuse in Blackrock College opened the floodgates - Mark and David Ryan. Sadly, Mark died before this report was published, but his legacy is one of enormous service to this country.

Mark, David and all of the other survivors have shown incredible bravery and courage. Can the Taoiseach explain why the State has not? The reaction of the State to this and every other abuse scandal involving religious orders is one of cowardice. The Taoiseach and fellow Ministers have implored religious orders to think about their Christian values and their moral obligations to contribute to redress. Can we please stop talking about Christian values and moral obligations when we are discussing children being raped and investigations into paedophile rings in schools? Where is the legal obligation? Where are the criminal convictions? Why are these orders not being raided by gardaí, why are their assets not being seized and why on earth are they still running our schools? It is unbelievable that the approach of successive governments to these orders, which operated as criminal networks, is to roll over. We could be here today discussing legislation that would help us to hold these orders to account but we are not. We have had report after report about horrific child abuse carried out by members of religious orders - abuse that was deliberately facilitated and concealed by those orders. What will it take for the State to finally act and go after these orders with more than a pathetic appeal to their moral values?

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