Investigation of Northern Ireland abuse called for

Victims of clerical child abuse in church and state-run schools in Northern Ireland have called for an investigation of the harm done them like the Ryan report on abuse in the Republic of Ireland.

Dan Keenan of the Irish Times wrote today:

[Solicitor Joe} Rice [who represents “a significant number” of abuse survivors], in his letter to First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, referred to those who suffered all forms of abuse and neglect in Northern Ireland since 1947. “It is apparent that the level of abuse was widespread and endemic, and moreover that all the institutions involved had a duty of care to those children placed in their trust, and responsibility under the different statutory frameworks in the post-war period,” he wrote.

BBC explained:

The Ryan Report detailed widespread sexual, physical and emotional abuse in Catholic-run institutions.
It was commissioned in 2000 following a series of scandals involving Catholic priests in both Northern Ireland and the Republic.

The VaticanCrimes blog writes:

This is something that is beginning to gather momentum. We have been instructed by clients in Northern Ireland who have been victims of abuse, both in state institutions and in care homes similar to those in the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (The Ryan Report) in the Republic of Ireland. We have noticed, over the past few months, in our three offices, people coming in with complaints in relation to physical abuse, neglect and sex abuse in various institutes. These complaints of abuse have not been properly investigated by the authorities in Northern Ireland. All the institutions would have been under the inspectorate of the old Stormont government at the time.