Ireland 1968 to 2012: The Church's child-safeguarding board found serial abusers at Spiritan schools; one abused 28 children and remained in ministry until 1996

In 2012 the Church's National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI) published review reports on four dioceses and three religious congregations. In the Irish province of the Spiritans, which ran schools, allegations had been made since 1975 against 47 members. According to the report there were serial abusers in schools who in the 1960s to 1980s had undetected and unchecked access to children. One priest abused 28 children from 1968 to 1993 and was not removed from ministry until 1996; about another, concerns were raised, but he abused for ten more years. The three congregations reviewed reported markedly more allegations than the dioceses; the board also found non-reporting or delayed reporting of allegations.

Period

1968-2012 (44 years)

Country

Ireland

Institutions

Spiritans (Congregation of the Holy Spirit)
National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland

Category

Sexual abuse, Cover-up

Level of evidence

A Primary source · what does this mean?

Background

Response of the Church

1. According to the report, the leadership of the congregation at that time had no awareness of the impact of child sexual abuse and failed to create safe environments for children. Father A was not removed from ministry until 1996. About a second priest concerns were raised, but he continued in ministry and abused for a further ten years. A third was, until recently and unknown to the provincial leadership, carrying out ministry elsewhere on a temporary basis. Survivors who contacted the board in 2012 expressed complete dissatisfaction with the congregation's response.
   Evidence: National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI), S. 13

   „It is clear that there was no awareness of the impact of child sexual abuse on the part of the leadership of the congregation during that time.“

   Evidence: National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI), S. 13

   „There was a failure on the part of the congregation in these instances to create safe environments for children.“

   Evidence: National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI), S. 13

   „Concerns were raised, but he continued in ministry and abused children for a further ten years.“

   Evidence: National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI), S. 13

   „was, until recently, and unknown to the Provincial Leadership Team, carrying out ministry elsewhere on a temporary basis“

   Evidence: National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI), S. 12

   „survivors who contacted NBSCCCI in recent months have expressed their complete dissatisfaction with the response of the Spiritan Congregation to their disclosure of abuse and their continuing pain“

See also

• 1914-2000 · 86 years

  Abuse in Irish homes and industrial schools (Ryan Report)

  • Ireland
  • Violence
  • Sexual abuse
• 1973-2012 · 39 years

  Ireland 1973 to 2012: A Dominican admitted abuse in 1973, the provincial left him in ministry; he abused further children

  • Ireland
  • Sexual abuse
  • Cover-up
• 1975-2012 · 37 years

  Ireland 1975 to 2012: The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart for years did not pass abuse allegations against 17 members to police and authorities, and in 2011 publicly claimed the opposite

  • Ireland
  • Sexual abuse
  • Cover-up
• 1975-2004 · 29 years

  Abuse and cover-up in the Archdiocese of Dublin (Murphy Report)

  • Ireland
  • Sexual abuse
  • Cover-up
• 1996-2009 · 13 years

  Cover-up in the Diocese of Cloyne and the attitude of the Vatican (Cloyne Report)

  • Ireland
  • Vatican City
  • Sexual abuse
  • Cover-up
• 1996-2013 · 17 years

  Ireland 1996 to 2013: State audits found that dioceses reported 43 percent of allegations only after more than a year or never, and religious orders failed to report 88 percent promptly

  • Ireland
  • Sexual abuse
  • Cover-up

Original documents to read

1. Church document
   National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI): Review of Safeguarding Practice in the Irish Province of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, 5 September 2012. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 30 Oct 2026)
2. Church document
   National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI): Statistical Overview of the First and Second Tranche Safeguarding Reviews, 5 September 2012. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 30 Oct 2026)
3. Church document
   National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI): Overview of the Second Tranche of Safeguarding Reviews undertaken by NBSCCCI, 5 September 2012. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 30 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 30 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.