Commission of Investigation into the Handling of Historical Child Sexual Abuse in Schools

The government has approved the establishment of a Commission of Investigation into the Handling of Historical Child Sexual Abuse in Schools, which was the primary recommendation of the Report of the Scoping Inquiry.

The Minister for Education Helen McEntee has appointed Mr. Justice Michael MacGrath to chair the Commission of Investigation.

Access the Terms of Reference.

As the end of 2025 approaches, I would like to provide an update on what has been taking place since my first message was posted, and to let you know about the Commission’s plans for 2026.

As described in the previous message, the Commission will investigate the handling of allegations or concerns of historical child sexual abuse in all day and boarding schools in Ireland, including special schools, which occurred between 1927 and 2013. The Commission is independent in its work, which will be organised in two streams. One is a formal investigation of sample cases or instances of the handling of allegations, complaints or concerns of child sexual abuse in schools. The other is a Survivor Engagement Programme, which will provide an opportunity for those who experienced historical child sexual abuse in schools to give their account in a non-adversarial, informal and anonymised process. The Commission’s Terms of Reference are available here.

The Report of the Scoping Inquiry suggested the potential scale of historical sexual abuse in schools may be very significant.

Keeping Your Information Safe

We know that people may choose to share personal and sensitive information with the Commission, including details of sexual abuse and of their lives now. We are putting careful legal, technical and data security arrangements in place so that this information is handled safely, in line with data protection law and good practice.

Before anyone decides to engage with the Commission, we will clearly explain what will happen to their information, how it will be stored and for how long, and the limited circumstances in which it may need to be shared with others, so that people can make a fully informed choice about taking part.

Our intention is to be able to clearly explain to anyone who may wish to take part in the Commission, how we expect their information will be gathered, analysed and stored now and in the future. We intend to do this in different ways so as to be accessible to as many people as possible, and this will include a secure Commission website. Work to develop this is underway. Once we have a secure framework in place, our contact details will be made available.

A Welcoming Space And Support At Key Stages In the Commission

It is important that the Commission’s premises will be a welcoming space for survivors when its investigations and its Survivor Engagement Programme formally begin. We intend to provide a suitable space that takes into consideration the wishes expressed by survivors in the Scoping Inquiry and other processes, as far as possible.

It is important that the Commission is in a position to provide support for survivors at key stages of the process, including emotional and psychological support, and support for those with additional needs to facilitate an accessible and inclusive process wherever possible.

Our aim is to have a safe and supportive environment which is hospitable and accessible for those who come forward.

What Will Happen in 2026 – National Survey

The Commission will conduct a survey in which those who have information relating to historical child sexual abuse in all day and boarding schools, including personal experiences, will be invited to answer some initial questions. Our intention is that this survey will be accessible in different ways, taking particular account of those with additional needs.

Through this survey, the Commission will seek initial information which may include where the person attended school, the time-period involved, their experiences, any reports that may have been made of a complaint of child sexual abuse, and information about any alleged perpetrator or person in a position of authority where relevant.

Following detailed analysis of the survey, all interested survivors of historical child sexual abuse in schools will be given the opportunity to give an account of their experiences in the Survivor Engagement Programme. Separately, the Commission will determine its investigative focus from analysis of information gathered in the survey, and also from other available sources. Through the survey, the Commission will consult each person who wishes to come forward about their specific needs and preferences for the next stage of the Survivor Engagement programme. The Commission will endeavour to accommodate these as far as possible.

How We Will Let People Know When The Survey Is Available To Complete

When the Commission has the necessary secure systems in place and can provide comprehensive information and support, it will publicly advertise the survey. This will happen through the media and on the Commission’s own website when it is established. We will also notify support organisations who work with survivors of sexual abuse. The survey will be open for several weeks.

Your patience while this essential work is completed is very much appreciated. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a peaceful Christmas, and I will update again in the new year.

Mr. Justice Michael MacGrath

Chair of the Commission of Investigation

I am honoured to have been appointed to chair the Commission of Investigation into the Handling of Historical Child Sexual Abuse in Schools.

The Commission has been established in response to a recommendation from the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders and I would like to commend the survivors of abuse who took part in that process.

This new Commission has been given a broader remit and will focus on investigating the handling of allegations or concerns of sexual abuse by those in authority across all day and boarding schools, primary and post-primary, in the State. The Commission will investigate the actions taken, or not taken, by those in positions of authority or responsibility where there were reasonable concerns of child sexual abuse; whether those actions protected that child or other children from harm; and whether by their actions or inactions children were not properly protected.

The Commission has also been tasked with reporting on the impact of historical child sexual abuse in schools on survivors, and on what can be learned to support continued improvement in child protection measures for the future.

The Commission will be independent in its operation and has been given a timeline of up to five years to report to the Minister for Education and Youth. The work that it has been asked to do is set out in its Terms of Reference.

The work of the Commission will be organised into two broad streams. One will be a more formal process, which will select sample cases or instances of the handling of allegations, complaints or concerns of sexual abuse of children in schools for legal investigation in accordance with the Terms of Reference.

The other stream will be a Survivor Engagement Process, which will invite survivors of historical sexual abuse in schools to provide an account of their experience in a more informal, anonymised, non-adversarial process, which fully protects their privacy.

Over the coming months, there is much to be done to establish the Commission’s processes and ways of working. A priority for me as Chair of the Commission is to take the necessary time to make the Commission as safe a place as possible for survivors who may choose to come forward. My aim is to design the work of the Commission so as to be survivor-centred, trauma-informed and as supportive, accessible and inclusive as possible.

I understand that there are many survivors who want to share their experience with the Commission and I want to assure them that we will strive to ensure that their voices will be heard. When the Commission has made the necessary preparations and is in a position to begin its work, this will be advertised. I would ask survivors and other stakeholders for their patience as the Commission begins its work, and I thank you for your forbearance.

The task ahead of the Commission is a serious and important one, and I am keenly aware of our great responsibility to survivors. I am also deeply conscious of the importance of this Commission for Irish society as a whole, and how what we learn from the past can contribute to our understanding of ourselves and can improve the lives of children now and in the future.

I am honoured to have been appointed as the Chair of the Commission and I intend to undertake this work with gravity, fairness, sincerity and urgency. It deserves no less.

Mr. Justice Michael MacGrath

Chair of the Commission of Investigation

The Commission will investigate the handling of concerns of historical child sexual abuse in schools, as set out in its Terms of Reference.

The Commission of Investigation will have a significant Survivor Engagement Programme. Further information on how the Commission will engage with survivors of historical child sexual abuse in schools will be published on this website as the Commission progresses. When the Commission is ready to gather information from survivors, this will be widely advertised, and further information will be posted on this website at that time. This will happen in the coming months, after an initial phase of preliminary work.

Support for those who have experienced sexual abuse is available from a number of agencies listed below. If you are unsure about what type of support you need, speaking to your GP is advised.

One in Four

One in Four provides support for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse:

• phone +353 1 662 4070
• email: info@oneinfour.ie
• website: www.oneinfour.ie

National Counselling Service

The HSE’s National Counselling Service provides a professional, confidential counselling and psychotherapy service to people age 18 or older who experienced childhood abuse. Access to the service can be made by self-referral or referral by a GP.

The service is available in all HSE Health Regions. Contact information varies depending on your location in Ireland but contact details for each local area can be found at: Referring yourself to the NCS.

Connect Counselling

Connect Counselling is a HSE telephone counselling and support service for adults who have experienced childhood abuse. It is staffed by qualified counsellors and is available Wednesday to Sunday evenings from 5pm-9pm.

Republic of Ireland: Freephone 1800 477 477

Northern Ireland and UK: 00800 477 477 77

Outside ROI and UK: 00353 (0)1 865 7495

Website: connectcounselling.ie

Rape Crisis Centre

Offering a free and confidential listening and support service for anyone who has been raped, sexually assaulted, sexually harassed or sexually abused at any time in their lives.

24-hour National Helpline: 1800 77 88 88

Email: counselling@rcc.ie (office hours)

An Garda Síochána

Child Sexual Abuse Freephone - 24-hour line for reporting a complaint of child sexual abuse: 1800 555 222

Complaints of sexual abuse can also be made in any local Garda station.

Samaritans

Samaritans is available for confidential, non-judgmental, listening support. You can call or email Samaritans anytime, day and night:

• freephone: 116 123
• email: jo@samaritans.ie
• website: samaritans.ie

Pieta

Pieta provide counselling at their centres nationwide, and telephone support. Their services are for people who are at risk of suicide or self-harm, and for people who have been bereaved by suicide:

• freephone 1800 247 247 anytime, day or night
• text HELP to 51444 (standard message rates apply)
• visit www.pieta.ie for more information

Text About It

A free text service providing emotional support to anyone experiencing a crisis, through engagement in a text conversation with a trained and supervised volunteer:

• text HELLO to 50808 to start a conversation
• visit www.textaboutit.ie for more information

Mental Health Information

Visit www.yourmentalhealth.ie for information on how to mind your mental health, support others, or to find a service in your area. On the site you can find information on supports provided by HSE-funded organisations, including self-help, counselling, helplines and online supports. You can also call the HSE Your Mental Health Information Line on freephone 1800 111 888 for information on mental health services in your area. The Information Line is open anytime, day or night.

Britain

For those living in Britain who would like to avail of supports locally, there are a number of organisations – financially supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs through the Emigrant Support Programme - that offer support.

ICAP

ICAP is the only specialist British-based counselling and psychotherapy service supporting people from the Irish community facing a range of emotional issues, including depression, anxiety and stress. They have particular expertise in working with those who have survived childhood abuse and offer a free therapy service to survivors of institutional abuse:

• phone: 0207 7272 2906
• address: 96 Moray Rd, Finsbury Park, London N4 3L
• email: London info@icap.org.uk
• email: West Midlands info@icapbirmingham.org.uk
• website: icap.org.uk

London Irish Centre

The London Irish Centre’s survivors integrated service provides support and advocacy to survivors and former residents of Irish institutions living in London and the South East. They can be contacted on 0207 916 2222, and community@londonirishcentre.org

Further information is available.

Fréa – Renewing Roots

Fréa – Renewing Roots is a partnership between Irish Community Care, Leeds Irish Health and Homes, and Irish Community Care Manchester, that supports survivors and former residents of Irish institutions, as well as offering emotional and practical support. Phone: 07458 138 682, email: renewingroots@frea.org.uk

Further information is available.

Coventry Irish Society

Coventry Irish Society works with survivors and former residents of Irish institutions. Phone: 0247 625 6629, Email: simon.mccarthy@covirishsoc.org.uk

Further information is available.

United States

The Coalition of Irish Immigration Centres provides support to the Irish/Irish American communities they serve. Further information is available and details of the centres are available.

Other countries

For people living outside Ireland, Britain and the United States, their local Irish Embassy or Consulate can provide details of organisations who may be able to assist. A list of embassies and consulates is available from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

If you wish to report an allegation of sexual abuse you can contact your local Garda station, the Garda Sexual Crime Management Unit (01-6663430) or the Garda Child Sexual Abuse Reporting Line (1800 555 222), which is a confidential and free service available on a 24/7 basis. Alternatively, you can email GNPSB_SCMU@garda.ie