Ireland to set up inquiry into sexual abuse at schools run by religious orders

The Irish education minister, Norma Foley, described the report as a ‘harrowing’ document. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA

The Irish government is to set up a statutory commission of inquiry into sexual abuse at schools run by Catholic religious orders after a preliminary investigation found almost 2,400 allegations of historic abuse.

The investigation, led by a leading barrister, Mary O’Toole, documented 844 alleged abusers in 308 schools run by 42 religious orders across the Republic of Ireland.