Gardai to launch investigations into 2,000 abuse allegations at Irish schools following bombshell report
EXCLUSIVE: Meanwhile a victim of Terenure College beast John McClean told us the shocking report 'doesn't go far enough,' and called on the government to stop funding the organisations. However Minister Norma Foley says she will continue to do so 'to
Gardai are now set to investigate the over 2,000 allegations of historic sex abuse in religious schools across the country.
Officers are set to launch new investigations off the back of a bombshell government report detailing allegations against over 800 abusers in religious schools - including Terenure College. It comes as a victim of Terenure College sex beast John McClean exclusively tells us that the shocking government report "doesn’t go far enough" and called on them to stop funding all schools mentioned in the report.
However in a response to The Irish Mirror, a spokesperson for the Department of Education stated that Minister Norma Foley would continue to fund those schools saying she is "of the view that it is important that schools continue to be supported and resourced to meet the needs of children attending today."
READ MORE - Full list of 308 religious-run schools and number of abuse allegations in harrowing report
READ MORE - Almost 2,400 allegations of sexual abuse in over 300 schools unearthed in harrowing report
The victim, who was locked in McClean’s office and abused when he was just a child, also exclusively revealed to us that he has just received an official apology from Terenure College and an out-of-court settlement, which he intends to give away to other survivors of abuse.
"I only recently received an apology from Terenure College over the abuse and settled with an out-of-court compensation. But to be honest, the apology meant more than anything else because they have acknowledged they failed in their undertaking," he said. "When the money comes through I’ve instructed my solicitor that it is going to support other victims of abuse. So it’s going straight into charity."
The man, who was subjected to terror at the hands of McClean, said the report, which detailed 2,395 allegations of historical sex abuse at 308 schools across Ireland "doesn’t go far enough."
"I did see the report and in my opinion it’s welcome but one thing I firmly believe is it doesn’t go far enough. I cannot understand why funding still goes to these private schools from the taxpayer. It was reported to them that McClean was abusing boys and the right thing could have been done in 1989, 1990. If that had happened then that would have never happened to me or other boys. So my question to Norma Foley is why isn’t funding to these private schools suspended?"
In responding that the Minister intends to continue funding the schools, a spokesperson for the Department of Education also stated that she is "conscious of the enormous trauma suffered by survivors of sexual abuse and she has expressed her sincere gratitude in particular for those who participated in the Survivor Engagement Process of the Scoping Inquiry. The scoping report also recognises that there are strong and robust child protection measures in schools now which offer a safe environment for children to learn. In these circumstances, the Minister is of the view that it is important that schools continue to be supported and resourced to meet the needs of children attending today," they said.
Earlier this year former rugby coach McClean had his four-year sentence reduced to two and a half years for sexually abusing 22 pupils. This victim, now an adult, says this new apology from Terenure College, against which he had taken legal action, means everything - but he believes lessons need to be learned, as predator McClean could have been stopped far earlier. "The thing that is really annoying me about this is that since the formation of the State the Irish government has failed to protect women and children. They took the Catholic Church above women and children. Even to this day when talking about this I wonder why aren’t they suspending the funding to these schools? It’s just wrong that private schools continue getting government funding when child abusers were facilitated."
Speaking about the continued effects the abuse has on him to this day the man said: "What’s really upsetting me is that every time I recover - a letter, even a phone call brings back all the memories. I was diagnosed with PTSD and I’ve been dealing with that since I was 13 years of age. My own children have been affected by this because I can’t allow them to stay with other people. They can’t do sleepovers because I just don’t trust people because of what happened to me. It’s still haunting me to this day."
This week the government-appointed inquiry detailed allegations against some 884 abusers - half of which are still alive today. The report found that a high number of allegations are also concentrated in special education schools, where there were 590 allegations recorded in 17 institutions, involving 190 alleged abusers.
Some 205 people - the majority of whom were men - completed questionnaires about their experiences and told of surviving horrific abuse in schools in at least 22 counties, naming over 80 schools run by 24 religious orders. The incidents of sexual abuse were described as having occurred between the early 1960s and the early 1990s - with the highest number of reported incidents occurring in the early to mid-1970s. The report, based on survivors’ testimonies and information produced by religious orders, suggests there were 130 allegations of sexual abuse against 24 abusers in Willow Park School in Blackrock.
There were also 55 allegations of abuse by 13 abusers in Blackrock College, 166 allegations against 50 abusers in the Brothers of Charity Special School Lota in Glanmire, Cork, 199 allegations against 49 alleged abusers in the Brothers of Charity Holy Family Special School in Renmore, Co Galway, and 89 allegations against 11 alleged abusers in Terenure College - including McClean. Speaking on Tuesday, Minister Foley said that the Government had accepted the Scoping Report’s recommendation to set up a Commission of Investigation.
Its recommendation for a redress scheme will be examined.
She said: "There is a moral duty on everyone's part to play their part. I want to acknowledge, and [Senior Counsel] Mary O’Toole acknowledged herself, that she did receive significant cooperation from everyone, including religious orders and, of course, the survivors. There is an additional obligation on everyone to play their part."
When asked if the Government would sequester the assets of religious orders to pay for a redress scheme, Ms Foley once again said that redress options would be examined in future by a High Level Group. Harrowing testimonies provided to the report by survivors detailed the abuse inflicted on them, both in private and in front of other children. "Approximately a quarter of participants attended boarding schools and in their interviews with the Survivor Engagement team some reported being sexually abused as they lay in bed in their dormitory or cubicle," the report read.
A spokesperson for An Garda Siochana said tonight: "An Garda Síochána is appealing to anyone who wishes to report a crime relating to Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders.
For the purpose of reporting to An Garda Síochána, the following options are available:
- By emailing GNPSB_SCMU@garda.ie
- By phoning the Garda Child Sexual Abuse Reporting Line on 1800 555 222. This is a confidential and free service available 24/7
- Calling to your local Garda Station
"Anyone contacting An Garda Síochána on such matters will receive personal contact as soon as is practicable.
"An Garda Síochána is inviting anyone who believes they were the victim of a criminal act relating to Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools run by Religious Orders, to please come forward and report this.
"An Garda Síochána is fully aware of the profound impact on the lives of those who were subject to such abuse, many of whom who may only be disclosing this information for the first time.
"An Garda Síochána will deal with any matters reported by complainants in a sensitive manner and will, where possible, progress matters through investigation.
"While it is our responsibility to effectively deal with all complaints and information received, there be limitations as to the action we can take in some cases due to matters such as the unavailability of evidence over time or suspects and/or witnesses being deceased. Where these factors are present, An Garda Síochána will diligently explain such limitations to complainants.
"The Garda National Protective Service Bureau will maintain oversight of these investigations which will be investigated by specially trained Gardaí attached to Divisional Protective Service Units in every Garda Division nationwide.
"An Garda Síochána is also appealing to anyone who may have information, including as a witness, relating to crimes of Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools run by Religious Orders, to make contact with them so that such crimes can be investigated."
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