Bishop Hayes condemns abuse of any kind in response to the recent Scoping Report
In response to the recent publication of the report of the Scoping inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders, Bishop Martin Hayes of Kilmore Diocese makes the following statement:
“ On reading the findings of the Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools run by Religious Orders throughout the country, I extend my sincere sympathy to the survivors, who, as children, suffered abuse and violence in a place where they should have been safe, and to their families. In particular, I have been greatly moved by the bravery of survivors who have revealed their experiences in such an effective way.
“I condemn any form of abuse, which is all the more destructive if perpetrated on a child. The abuse of a child in a Church context is an egregious crime and a deep betrayal of a sacred trust.
“All schools now have a Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy in place and report annually to their patron confirming that this policy has been reviewed and that the school’s Designated Liaison Person (DLP) is available to students and staff to report any incidents of concern. I will continue to support our schools in Kilmore Diocese to ensure that all Child Protection procedures are followed and that our schools are safe places of care, compassion, and accountability.
“While safeguarding measures are in place today that provide for the safety and wellbeing of children and young people, we must still remain vigilant. I encourage anyone who has a concern, a suspicion or knowledge of abuse to report it to the DLP in our schools, and/or to report directly to the statutory authorities.
- An Garda Síochána: 01 6663903
- Tusla (Child & Family Agency): 049 4369800
“The publication of the Scoping Inquiry report has been an important milestone for survivors, and for revealing the truth to parents, students and for everyone living in Ireland today. At this time, I wish to take this opportunity to endorse the following statement by the Catholic Education partnership – the authoritative and unified voice for the Catholic education sector at primary, post-primary and tertiary levels on the island – which was published in response to the report’s findings:
The publication of the Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders has again laid bare the criminal treatment of children and young people in what was a gravely dysfunctional and abusive education system with respect to child safeguarding.
The Catholic Education Partnership – on behalf of the entire Catholic education community across Ireland today – wishes to acknowledge the significance of this report, the grave harm caused to survivors and their families, and those who suffered but are no longer with us.
The Catholic Education Partnership wishes to publicly commit the Catholic education sector to fully cooperate with the Commission of Inquiry when the Government publishes its terms of reference.
It is important to assure parents and students today that Catholic schools have robust child safeguarding procedures, most recently reviewed in 2023. The Catholic education sector is fully committed to maintaining effective child safeguarding and has always engaged positively with the Department of Education on the development, review and improvement of these standards and will continue to do so. All Department of Education school inspections include a child safeguarding review.
Dr Helen Buckley, Child Protection Consultant, writes in her report contained in Appendix 4 of the Scoping Inquiry Report, that “the education sector has robust safeguarding procedures in place”, while noting that increased resources and more frequent auditing by the State are required. The Catholic Education Partnership fully supports this point.
It is painfully clear that children and the trust of their families were betrayed in the most devastating of ways. The Catholic Education Partnership commits to working with our stakeholders and the State to ensure that we uphold our moral, civic, and statutory responsibilities.
ENDS
