Chapter 1 — Introduction

Confidential Committee

The mandate of the Committee was to hear the evidence of those who wished to report their experiences in institutions in a confidential setting, as defined in the legislation. The legislation provided that the Confidential Committee was to endeavour to ensure that meetings of the Committee at which evidence was being given were conducted so as to afford to witnesses an opportunity to recount in full the abuse suffered by them in an atmosphere that was sympathetic to, and understanding of, them, and as informally as was possible in the circumstances. 8

Defined categories of abuse

The Committee was required to hear the evidence of witnesses9 who wished to report four types of abuse as defined by the Acts. The definitions changed in the 2005 Act and the changes made by the 2005 Act are highlighted in bold below: Physical abuse: The wilful, reckless or negligent infliction of physical injury on, or failure to prevent such injury to, the child. Sexual abuse: The use of the child by a person for sexual arousal or sexual gratification of that person or another person. Neglect: Failure to care for the child which results, or could reasonably be expected to result, in serious impairment of the physical or mental health or development of the child or serious adverse effects on his or her behaviour or welfare. Emotional abuse: Any other act or omission towards the child which results, or could reasonably be expected to result, in serious impairment of the physical or mental health or development of the child or serious adverse effects on his or her behaviour or welfare.10

The Committee classified all reports of abuse under one of the above types, as defined by the Acts. Witness reports of abuse included all four types, and combinations of those types of abuse. The definition of abuse includes acts that occurred to children, as well as acts of omission, such as medical, social, educational or emotional neglect that ‘results, or could reasonably be expected to result’11 in having serious adverse effects on them both at the time and afterwards.

Individuals applied to give evidence of the abuse suffered by them in a range of Irish institutions. The definition in the 2000 Act of ‘institutions’ includes ‘a school, an industrial school, a reformatory school, an orphanage, a hospital, a children’s home and any other place where children are cared for other than as members of their families’.12 Many witnesses were admitted to more than one institution and may have reported abuse in one or more institutions. The majority of witnesses reported more than one type of abuse.

Defined institutions

Industrial and Reformatory Schools were residential institutions that admitted boys and girls during their time of operation. There were 60 certified Industrial or Reformatory Schools in Ireland during the period covered by this Report. The Schools were gender segregated with the exception of 12 industrial schools that were designated as mixed, admitting both boys and girls.

For the purposes of this Report ‘Other Institutions’ is the collective term used to refer to all institutions apart from Industrial or Reformatory Schools that fell within the definition of institutions. Such ‘Other Institutions’ included: general, specialist and rehabilitation hospitals, foster homes, primary and second-level schools, Children’s Homes, laundries, Noviciates, hostels and special needs schools (both day and residential) that provided care and education for children with intellectual, visual, hearing or speech impairments, and others.

The evidence heard by the Confidential Committee regarding Industrial and Reformatory Schools and ‘Other Institutions’ are presented separately in this Report.

Evidence

The Report contains information given in evidence to the Committee on the demographic and social circumstances of witnesses before their admission to the institutions, their experiences and reports of abuse while in the institutions and their life following discharge from the institutions. Less detailed information was obtained in relation to the social circumstances of witnesses who, while attending ‘Other Institutions’, had remained in the care of their own family, for example witnesses who reported abuse in primary or second-level schools.

The Committee was required to hear witness accounts of abuse that occurred in the past during a ‘relevant period’ as defined by the Acts.13 The Committee determined the relevant period as between 1914 and 2000, being the earliest date of admission to out-of-home care and the latest date of discharge of those applicants who sought to give evidence to the Committee14.

Witness evidence included reports of both single incidents and multiple episodes of abuse over a length of time in institutional care for each individual. This Report is a comprehensive account of the information provided by witnesses about incidents and details of abuse they were able to recall and wished to report to the Committee.

The Report is structured as follows: Part 1 Chapters 1–5: Introduction, methodology and overview Chapters 6-9: Record of abuse and experiences in Industrial and Reformatory Schools Chapter 10: Positive memories Chapter 11: Current circumstances Part 2 Chapter 12: Introduction to Part 2 Chapters 13–18: Record of abuse and experiences in ‘Other Institutions’ Chapter 19: Concluding comments