A NEW BILL from the Labour Party aims to ensure that religious orders fully contribute to any redress scheme “addressing the systematic child abuse” uncovered in Ireland’s educational institutions. 

Earlier this month, a scoping inquiry reported that there were almost 2,400 allegations of sexual abuse of children in schools run by religious orders.

There were 844 alleged abusers in schools run by 42 religious orders across the country, according to the findings of senior counsel Mary O’Toole.

The allegations stretched across a total number of 308 schools.

Today, Labour Leader Ivana Bacik said that she has written to Taoiseach Simon Harris, calling for the government to ensure that religious orders fully contribute to any redress scheme addressing the widespread child sexual abuse uncovered.

Bacik urged that the government support the Labour Party’s “Civil Liability (Child Sexual Abuse Proceedings Unincorporated Bodies of Persons) Bill 2024,” which aims to “make it easier for survivors to seek justice from religious orders and their associated trusts”.

Bacik said that Ireland owes “an enormous debt of gratitude” to victims and survivors who have come forward, but that the current system in dealing with such abuse is “flawed”. 

Bacik said that many victims are “retraumatised by flawed redress processes or dragged through lengthy legal proceedings, due to the reluctance of religious organisations to full engage in delivering justice”. 

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Labour’s proposed bill aims to “address that imbalance” by facilitating civil proceedings against incorporated bodies, such as religious orders, and providing a mechanism for recovering damages.

These individuals have shone a vitally important light into a very dark corner of the Irish education system, exposing horrors that should never have been allowed to happen.”

“Clearly, we cannot simply appeal to the moral duty of religious orders to ensure victims receive the justice they deserve,” Bacik said. “The Labour Party’s Bill is essential for creating that pathway to justice. Religious orders cannot be allowed to delay and avoid accountability any longer.”