Church doesn't know how many of last year's 178 abuse allegations were previously known, report says

The National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland report says 115 respondents were deceased, while a further three were found to be 'in ministry'

Of the clergy accused, 36 were diocesan, and 141 were members of religious congregations. File picture

It is “impossible” to determine if all of the almost 180 abuse allegations against Catholic Church clergy received late last year relate to alleged abusers previously known or reported, according to the Church’s child protection board.

The National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI) published its annual report for 2025 this week, documenting 178 abuse allegations it received across April to December.