THE GOVERNMENT IS pursuing legislation to make sure religious orders do not “get off the hook” in terms of redress owed for historical abuse, the Taoiseach has said.

A report published last month into sexual abuse in schools run by religious orders has identified 308 schools where the alleged abuse took place.

In total, the inquiry found 844 alleged abusers in schools run by 42 religious orders, amounting to nearly 2,400 allegations of sexual abuse.

A commission of investigation is to be established to examine historical sexual abuse claims.

Asked by The Journal today in Washington DC about what is specifically being done to ensure that religious orders pay their fair share in redress payments, Harris said:

“I’ve specifically asked the Attorney General to draft legal advice for Government about what mechanisms we can deploy or indeed legislation to introduce to make sure that those institutions do have to contribute.

“Let me be really clear: My first approach is we should ask people to do the right thing. That’s not to suggest that we’re naive and presume they want to do the right thing. If they don’t do the right thing, we need to legislate to make sure that they do,” he said. 

Harris confirmed that he has also asked the Attorney General to review legislation put forward by Labour leader Ivana Bacik on the issue. 

He added:

“In the past, they got off the hook and they’re not going to this time. And they’ve been issuing statements talking about how sorry they are. We’ll decide how sincere that sorrow is depending on what they do next.”

Harris said he believed options to pursue payments from religious orders will most likely require legislation.

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Simon Harris speaking to the media in Washington DC yesterday. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

However, when asked by The Journal about the timeline for the legal advice and legislation, Harris said he did not think it would take very long, adding that he believed the current Government would be able to provide “clarity” on the matter.

The Taoiseach said he believed there is consensus in the Dáil that the recommendations of the Mary O’Toole report, which said a mechanism should be put in place to make sure religious orders contribute, should be adopted. 

He said the government is very happy to work on a cross-party basis on the matter.  

Previously when asked by The Journal about the shortfall in redress religious orders have paid following other scandals in the past surrounding abuse, the Taoiseach has said he would encourage organisations that consider themselves to be Christian to act in the values of Christianity.

In the past, the taxpayer was put on the hook, he said, but added that it can’t happen again. Figures show that the total adjusted offers made by religious congregations for abuse in institutions amounts to approximately 16% of the redress costs, which are estimated to be approximately €1.5 billion.