Watchdog reports highest rate of abuse allegations against members of Catholic Church in 10 years

The national board said that complaints were made in 65 instances against Diocesan personnel and 187 times against members of religious congregations. File picture

A total of 252 allegations of abuse against Catholic Church members were reported to its National Board for Safeguarding Children in Ireland in the last year, with most incidents from the 1960s to the 1980s.

The Church’s child safety watchdog’s annual report highlights how the figures from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, were the most recorded in a 12-month period since 2014.