Citizens’ Assembly needed on abuse in schools – Seery Kearney

Establishment of a Citizens’ Assembly would guide a national response for victims of abuse in schools focused on empathy, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Senator Mary Seery Kearney, Fine Gael General Election candidate for Dublin South Central, has spoken out following harrowing revelations in the recent scoping report on child sexual abuse in religious-run institutions.

“The scoping report on child sexual abuse in religious-run schools has opened the floodgates on an equally disturbing issue—the physical and psychological abuse of children in our schools.

“Over the past week, I have spoken to countless survivors, particularly men in Ballyfermot, who experienced daily beatings and unimaginable psychological cruelty during their time in school. This abuse has left scars that remain raw to this day.

“While we focus on the sexual abuse suffered by so many, it is important that we do not ignore the stories of physical and emotional torment that children endured.

“Those subjected to these cruelties are now adults who still carry these wounds.

“Guidelines were flagrantly ignored, and children were beaten and humiliated on a daily basis. This went beyond physical punishment—it was a systemic stripping away of dignity and humanity.

“Children of families already struggling, often with fathers working abroad, were the most vulnerable. They were left in the care of an education system that failed them at every turn.

“The long-term impact on their ability to form relationships, their mental health, and their prospects is incalculable. How many lives were lost to suicide, addiction, and poverty as a result of this cruelty?

“A Citizens’ Assembly may be the most appropriate and compassionate way forward. It would provide survivors with a platform to share their stories and ventilate the deep hurt and anger that many still feel.

“It could also guide us toward a national response focused on meaningful restoration and support for survivors.

“There is no doubt that this is a national wound. Our society turned its back on these innocent children, and we owe them a response that acknowledges their suffering.

“A State apology is essential, but so too is a broader societal reckoning that includes physical and psychological abuse in any redress.” Senator Seery-Kearney concluded.