Laffoy report reveals extent of abuse allegations

Ms Justice Laffoy's third interim report of the child-abuse commission reveals the true extent of the huge caseload it is facing.

There are a total of 4,128 allegations against individuals by 1,712 complainants before the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse.

These are divided into allegations of sexual, physical and emotional abuse, as well as neglect. In many cases, the victims cite a range of different types of abuse.

Of those accused, 36 people, all members of religious orders, are facing 20 or more allegations of abuse. There are 27 religious orders involved, with 87 per cent of all abuse alleged to have occurred in homes or schools run by these orders.

The Investigation Committee is inquiring into cases of abuse in 267 institutions, of which the Department had regulatory responsibility in 91 per cent.

Nearly three-quarters of the victims are men, while 98 per cent of all complainants are over 50 years old. Sixty-five per cent of them live in Ireland; 31 per cent live in Britain.

The Investigation Committee has received 6,747 statements since the Commission first sat in June 2000.

The Confidential Committee heard 771 cases up to  October 2003, and there are 319 applications yet to be heard.