Garda Commissioner Drew Harris says that An Garda Síochána has received 522 contacts since it issued its appeal to anyone wishing to report crimes related to historical sexual abuse in Ireland's day and boarding schools run by religious orders.
"The great majority of these are from men," Harris said during a Policing Authority meeting in Dublin on Thursday, September 26.
"And the great majority of the complaints being received are in respect of sex abuse, the remainder then being physical abuse."
Harris said An Garda Síochána is commencing a process of investigation analysis of the complaints.
He noted: "There is a proportion of these cases where we do have prior knowledge of those against which the allegations are being made, they've previously been suspects or, indeed, individuals who have been convicted of offenses and a proportion of them are now deceased."
During Thursday's meeting, Dr. Elaine Byrne, Chairperson of the Policing Authority, asked Harris about allegations of institutional state cover-ups of the abuse, which could include An Garda Síochána.
"We are specifically mentioned by name in the report so we have to obviously take that very seriously," Harris replied.
Acknowledging that it's a "very considerable piece of work," Harris said An Garda Síochána would have to draw up its own terms of reference for searching for documentation and evidence, as well as considering if criminal investigations need to be conducted.
He continued: "The Scoping Inquiry has laid bare just the extent of the abuse, the numbers involved, and also then the Scoping Inquiry makes clear where our provision of information was deficient and we have to obviously rectify that in between now and the new commission commencing its work."
Harris reiterated An Garda Síochána's appeal for people to come forward.
"People will be listened to," he said.
An Garda Síochána said in a statement on Thursday that it is continuing a process of making direct contact back with each individual person who has made contact during the appeal.
"This is a very sensitive process," An Garda Síochána said in its statement.
"Each person will be given the time and space to discuss their personal experience and An Garda Síochána will continue to support each person through the process at the pace and to the extent that they wish to engage with us."
An Garda Síochána said that the reports have been made predominately directly to the Sexual Crime Management Unit at Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) by email and telephone but also by the CSAR (Child Sexual Abuse Reporting) phone line and in person at individual Garda Stations.
An Garda Síochána is continuing to appeal for people to come forward. For reporting to An Garda Síochána, the following options are available: emailing [email protected]; phoning the confidential and free Garda Child Sexual Abuse Reporting Line on 1800 555 222; calling your local Garda Station.
An Garda Síochána said that anyone making contact will receive personal contact as soon as possible.
An Garda Síochána said its overall response is being coordinated by the Sexual Crime Management Unit at the GNPSB.
Individual investigations will be carried out by dedicated trained Gardaí attached to Divisional Protective Service Units in each Garda Division. Any resources required will be made available to support each individual who has or may come forward to report a crime to An Garda Síochána.
An Garda Síochána launched its appeal on September 4, the day after it emerged that a Scoping Inquiry, which was set up to examine historical sexual abuse in Ireland's day and boarding schools run by religious orders, 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.
Ireland's Department of Education said that a Commission of Investigation is to be established following a recommendation in the Report of the Scoping Inquiry.
The Scoping Inquiry organized a Survivor Engagement process where those who had experienced sexual abuse in Ireland's day and boarding schools run by religious orders were invited to come forward and share their views regarding an appropriate State response.
Participants reported experiences of sexual abuse in primary, post-primary, and special schools, both public and private, run by religious orders across Ireland.
The report of the Scoping Inquiry contains detailed accounts of sexual abuse, rape, and sexual assault.
The report - which can be read online here - is "deeply distressing to read," the Department of Education said.
In addition to several organizations in Ireland, Ireland's Department of Education has recommended ways that victims overseas can get support, including ICAP, the London Irish Centre, Fréa - Renewing Roots, and the Coventry Irish Society in Britain, as well as Coalition of Irish Immigration Centres in the US.
Comments