Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2021
412. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education the current situation regarding redress for day-pupils who have been subjected to sexual abuse in schools; the number of persons reporting such abuse or who have complaints within the system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11162/21]
View answerAn ex gratia redress scheme was established on foot of the specific circumstances arising from and in response to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) relating to Louise O'Keeffe. The scheme, was established in 2015 to provide an effective remedy for a specific category of people, namely those persons who had commenced domestic litigation but who had discontinued those proceedings following High Court and Supreme Court judgments and because of this discontinuation had no domestic remedy.
The Department undertook a review of the scheme in response to a determination by the Independent Assessor, Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill that one of the criteria for eligibility is incompatible with the ECtHR judgement.
The review of the ex-gratia scheme is ongoing.
My Department's child protection unit records all abuse allegations disclosed to it including historic cases.
In 2020 my Department received a total of 9 reports of alleged sexual abuse relating to historical cases. 5 of these reports related to incidents alleged to have occurred prior to 1992 and 4 did not specify a year.
In 2019 my Department received a total of 21 reports of alleged sexual abuse relating to historical cases. 6 of these reports related to incidents alleged to have occurred prior to 1992 and 15 did not specify a year.
In 2018 my Department received a total of 13 reports of alleged sexual abuse relating to historical cases. 12 of these reports related to incidents alleged to have occurred prior to 1992 and 4 did not specify a year.
The figures provided relate only to cases of historical abuse reports provided to my Department through this process. My Department does not maintain a further breakdown of this data in relation to whether the reports related to day pupils or residential care.
