Earlier today, 7th March 2023, the Minister for Education Norma Foley TD announced the establishment of an inquiry which will shape the Government’s response to allegations of historical sexual abuse in schools that were run by religious orders.
The Inquiry will be led by Mary O’Toole SC.
The inquiry will be informed by reports and inputs from experts on child protection, restorative justice and survivor engagement as well as analysis of previous inquiries.
At the end of the process, Mary O’Toole will submit a report, including recommendations for the next steps, to the Minister.
The inquiry will have survivor engagement as a central part of its work. The survivor engagement process will allow the views of victims to be heard clearly and ensure that the recommendations set out in Mary O’Toole’s final report to the Minister are informed by the outcomes sought by survivors. The engagement will take many forms including, at the initial stages, a questionnaire and facilitated workshops.
Survivors who wish to register their interest in the process can find details of how to do so at gov.ie/educationscopinginquiry or by emailing survivorengagement@esi.gov.ie by 17 April 2023. Survivors can also call 090-6483610 to register their interest.
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About the Authors: Avril Scally is a Partner and Nicholas Moore is a Solicitor on the award-winning Personal Injury Team at Lavelle Partners.
