An Garda Síochána is poised to investigate so-callled 'pedophile rings' in light of this week's damning Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Schools run by religious orders.
“There are a number of individuals who have been convicted and either have passed away since or are still incarcerated or maybe released," Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said during a media briefing on Thursday.
"But what we can now do in terms of just this overall report, the scale of what's been described, is take that wider view.
"And that’s why we have a national unit now. Previously, the national bureau that we have for protective services was in existence, but we have a coordinated national response and that specifically then, as it follows individuals, should be able then to identify where there’s been an organizational element.
"Whether then that opens up further victims, we have to see."
An Garda Síochána said on Wednesday: "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."
It added: " 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."
On Thursday, Harris reiterated An Garda Síochána's appeal for victims or anyone with information about the abuse to come forward.
Meanwhile, Garda sources told The Irish Times there were currently no criminal investigations into the existence of pedophile rings targeting pupils in schools, but one Garda source told The Irish Examiner that there will be extensive investigations into accusations that pedophile rings were in operation.
On September 3, the Irish Government published the Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Schools run by religious orders.
The massive, damning report said that the Inquiry heard of some 2,395 allegations of historical sexual abuse involving 884 alleged abusers in 308 schools across all parts of Ireland between 1927 and 2013.
The first volume of the report says in part: “Some participants reported that their school had multiple staff members involved in either carrying out or facilitating sexual abuse, and some participants expressed the view that a pedophile ring was operating.
"In some cases, participants described suspecting that individuals were facilitating other staff members’ abuse of children."
One participant, who suffered "protracted" abuse from four abusers, is quoted in the report: "It was very clear there was a conspiracy going on.
"There were 12 priests present and nine were paedophiles. Three were involved with me together on one occasion and [also] apart."
The participant referred to the school being run as a pedophile ring: "You wouldn’t want to hear what else they did to me; you would wonder about the world.
"It was an orchestrated machine that ran for years and is still running."
The participant described a system of collusion and co-operation that was orchestrated by his four abusers.
Upon publication of the report this week, Minister for Education Norma Foley confirmed that a Commission of Investigation, which was one of the recommendations of the report, will be established.
The report also recommended that consideration be given by Government to establishing a redress scheme for survivors.
On Thursday, Ireland's Minister for Justice Helen McEntee signaled her support for a redress scheme: "There is a moral obligation on us to make sure the truth is uncovered, that we have justice for those individuals, but also that there is some form of redress.
"I think the religious orders, and those who are involved here, they must put their hand up and come forward. It shouldn't be the case that they are asked. They should form part of any redress scheme, but that all has to be worked through.
"We also don't want to see any redress scheme go on for years or perhaps beyond the scoping inquiry so we need to work that through, the details of that, the costs, where the burden will lie.
"But, nobody should be under any illusion - the religious orders themselves need to come forward, they need to put their hands up, and they need to contribute to this significantly."
RTE News reported on Thursday that the Catholic Education Partnership, which represents the Catholic education community, said it will be fully cooperating with the commission of inquiry once its terms of reference are published.
The Catholic Education Partnership said: "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."
The Irish Government has provided a list of support resources for survivors both in Ireland and abroad.
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