A LEADING abuse victims' campaigner has hit out angrily after being refused an advance copy of a report into the running of industrial schools and reformatories.Last night Christine Buckley, the head of the Aislinn support centre, complained that the Commission on Child Abuse will not even agree to allow her to see an embargoed copy of the report a few hours ahead of its publication on Wednesday.
Ms Buckley told the Irish Independent that pre-release access to the findings had also been denied to representatives of other victims' groups.
The report will be published after a 10-year investigation into the running of industrial schools and reformatories by Catholic Religious Orders.
The abuse commission is headed by High Court judge, Sean Ryan.
Last night Ms Buckley described the behaviour of the Ryan Commission in relation to the report's publication as "very disappointing".
She said not allowing interest groups a copy of the report even a few hours in advance was "an attempt to disadvantage others and us from giving a considered response to the media on the day of the publication".
Unreasonable
She added: "It is unreasonable of the Ryan Commission to expect us to be immediately able to absorb a report that will run into five volumes and thousands of pages."
Ms Buckley contrasted the "obduracy" of the Ryan Commission with other inquiries, such as the Linsday Tribunal into contaminated blood products, and the Stardust fire inquiry, which allowed victims and relatives time to study their findings before addressing the media.
Last night the Irish Independent learned that major religious organisations such as the Christian Brothers, the Oblate Fathers and the Sisters of Mercy will also be denied access to the massive document until it is published online.
But Ms Buckley also claimed releasing the report in the middle of major election campaigns was an attempt to "curtail comment on the report".
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