There were angry scenes at the Conrad Hotel in Dublin today as victims of clerical child abuse and representative groups were barred from attending the press conference announcing the publication of the Commission's report. Support groups described the decision to restrict access as disgraceful.
At one stage, members of the gardaí were called as a crowd formed around the secretary of the Commission while she attempted to explain that it was a press-only event and would not proceed unless they stepped away.
"We promise to be dignified and to respect the office of the judge and the position he holds. What we're asking is to allow us in there. By not allowing us in, surely to god you know we're going to be angry," said one man.
Inside the press conference, Justice Sean Ryan restricted his comments to a prepared statement and refused to take questions from journalists.
Meanwhile, at a separate press conference in a neighbouring suite, representatives from the Rape Crisis Centre and One in Four expressed their outrage over the exclusion of victims from the commission's press conference.
"People have been waiting ten years for this report and we were hoping that it would have a positive effect on the victims. However, the way that they have been treated here has been disgraceful and is in effect little more than a repetition of abusive behaviour," said Ellen O'Malley-Dunlop, chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.
One in Four's chief executive Maeve Lewis said publication of the report marked a "shameful day" for Ireland.
"We all turned our back on the children who were so shamefully treated in these institutions. While the report's publication may end one episode for them, these people are living the struggle day-to-day in their lives.
"We have to accept that many of the alleged offenders are either dead or are now very elderly or infirm so it's very unlikely that they will ever face a criminal trial so this report will not close the wounds for many of those people.
"Because of the disgraceful behaviour shown towards victims today, I think many will be re-traumatised. “I can't imagine what the commission was thinking by barring people from the press event. I suspect they were fearful of the response of those who spent time in the institutions, but the effect of their actions was to further humiliate those who experienced abuse.”
Ms Lewis downplayed suggestions that a memorial should be established to honour the victims of clerical sex abuse saying that any funding made available would be better spent elsewhere.
"The only memorial that these people want is to put in place proper child protection services so that other children are not abused. I think the report itself will stand as a memorial, as a public record of an absolutely disgraceful event in Irish history."
John Kelly, coordinator of SOCA (Survivors of Child Abuse), said he felt “empty and cheated” by the report.
“Bertie Ahern promised us that victims would be given a fair hearing and justice. Clearly that hasn’t happened. We expected the abusers and those who allowed abuse to occur to be held accountable but none of this is going to happen. There are no criminal proceedings and no accountability whatsoever.”
“We were encouraged by this Commission and by the former taoiseach to open our wounds. We did this and they’ve been left gaping open.”
The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) welcomed the publication of today's report.
"We commend the work of the Commission and urge that the Government accept its recommendations in full, in particular regarding the implementation of the Children First guidelines," said Ashley Balbirnie, chief executive of the charity.
Elsewhere, Amnesty International Ireland said the report underlined the need for a children's rights referendum.
“Today’s report is a catalogue of the greatest human rights abuses in the history of the State,” said the organisation's executive director, Colm O’Gorman.
“We cannot allow ourselves to dismiss this report’s implications for Ireland today. Along with a whole raft of other measures, the Government must fulfill its obligations and commitments to introduce constitutional reform in this area.
“Unless the most fundamental law of our state demands that we place children’s rights and children’s dignity at the heart of decisions about their welfare they will remain at continuing risk of abuse and neglect, under the radar of the state bodies who are meant to protect them.”
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