The Government is expected to approve publication of a long-awaited report on sexual abuse in boarding and day schools and to agree to set up a statutory inquiry into potentially thousands of cases of abuse which took place in the past.
The leaders of the three Government parties discussed the issue last night with Minister for Education Norma Foley poised to bring proposals to Cabinet today.
Ministers are likely to discuss the issue when the Cabinet meets for the first time since the August break.
Ms Foley and her officials have been considering the 700-page report, commissioned last year from senior counsel Mary O’Toole following allegations of historic abuse at Blackrock College.
The scoping inquiry conducted by Ms O’Toole included religious-run boarding and day schools, and it is understood that the report features schools run by many different religious orders.
Sources say that there may be thousands of cases of sexual abuse in the schools. It is expected that the report will be published, following which the Government will legislate for an inquiry with statutory powers.
Officials are continuing to work on proposals for a redress scheme for victims of past abuse with at least part of the costs being met by the religious orders. Ms Foley and her officials have been drawing up plans which are expected to be heavily influenced by the wishes of survivors.
The terms of reference for the scoping exercise specifically required that Ms O’Toole, when making recommendations to the Government, should have regard to “alignment with outcomes sought by survivors of historical sexual abuse in schools run by religious orders”.
It says this should be “informed by the survivor engagement process” which has been part of the scoping inquiry’s work.