Labour leader calls for divestment of religious orders from schools to be ramped up

Report into historical sexual abuse revealed 2,400 allegations of sexual abuse at 308 schools around the country, including Blackrock College. Picture Colin Keegan/Collins 

The divestment of religious orders from schools must be accelerated in the wake of 2,400 allegations of sexual abuse at 308 schools around the country, Labour leader Ivana Bacik has said.

Abuse was found to have been widespread in religious-run schools, with 2,395 allegations of sexual abuse against a total of 884 teachers, priests and others within 208 schools.

It found there were 590 allegations made against 190 alleged abusers within 17 special schools.

The report sets out that at least half of the alleged perpetrators are known to be deceased.

Ms Bacik described religious orders as being “complicit in such awful horrors” in the past.

“We need now to look at the divestment of schools from religious orders,” Ms Bacik said, speaking at the Labour Party think-in in Malahide, Dublin.

She said Irish schools were unique in Europe for the level of religious involvement, with 90% of primary schools still under such an umbrella.

Ms Bacik said the programme of divestment needed to be accelerated to ensure “orders are no longer having power over school children in our education system”.

'Horrific levels of abuse'

The Dublin Bay South TD said the report revealed “horrific levels of abuse” against children, particularly those in special schools

“It is appalling to see this and we’re calling on Government to ensure that the commission of investigation is run in parallel with a redress scheme so that survivors are not waiting any longer for justice to be done for them,” Ms Bacik said.

Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik at the party's think-in on Thursday. Picture: Sam Boal/Collins 

The Labour leader also called on religious orders to “step up and pay their share of redress”, saying in the past many had hid by transferring assets to lay-run trusts.

Asked if there should be asset seizures of religious orders to ensure they pay, Ms Bacik said: “I hope it won’t come to that.”

She added it was welcome gardaí were launching investigations where criminal complaints were made.

The scoping inquiry was just the “tip of the iceberg”, she added, saying there were many more schools that should be included in a further inquiry into sexual abuse.

Child homelessness

Meanwhile, Labour also set out its new ‘Children’s Charter’ as part of its annual think-in, with a particular focus on ending child homelessness.

“It’s perhaps the biggest scandal in our state that we have 4,401 children now in emergency accommodation today. It’s absolutely scandalous,” Ms Bacik said.

Ms Bacik also made a call for parties on the centre-left to form a common bloc after the next general election, saying it would help with negotiations for a programme for government.

The proposal is similar to that of Roderic O’Gorman, leader of the Green Party, who has sought to form a post-election pact with both Labour and the Social Democrats.

Asked if she had spoken to Mr O’Gorman about the prospect, Ms Bacik said she would like to sit down in advance of the election.