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| Abusers 'must be held to account' | Abusers 'must be held to account' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland has said anyone responsible for abusing children in Catholic-run institutions should be held to account. | The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland has said anyone responsible for abusing children in Catholic-run institutions should be held to account. |
| Cardinal Sean Brady was responding to a report published on Wednesday which found thousands of boys and girls were abused in Catholic-run institutions. | Cardinal Sean Brady was responding to a report published on Wednesday which found thousands of boys and girls were abused in Catholic-run institutions. |
| "If there is evidence that could lead to prosecution that should be brought forward," he said. | "If there is evidence that could lead to prosecution that should be brought forward," he said. |
| "Certainly people must be held responsible for their actions." | "Certainly people must be held responsible for their actions." |
| The report, nine years in the making and covering a period of six decades, also found government inspectors failed to stop beatings, rapes and humiliation. | The report, nine years in the making and covering a period of six decades, also found government inspectors failed to stop beatings, rapes and humiliation. |
| The findings will not be used for criminal prosecutions - in part because the Christian Brothers successfully sued the commission in 2004 to keep the identities of all of its members, dead or alive, unnamed in the report. | The findings will not be used for criminal prosecutions - in part because the Christian Brothers successfully sued the commission in 2004 to keep the identities of all of its members, dead or alive, unnamed in the report. |
| John Walsh, of Irish Survivors of Child Abuse, said he felt "cheated and deceived" by the lack of prosecutions. | John Walsh, of Irish Survivors of Child Abuse, said he felt "cheated and deceived" by the lack of prosecutions. |
| No real names, whether of victims or perpetrators, appear in the final document. | No real names, whether of victims or perpetrators, appear in the final document. |
| Campaigners protested at being excluded from the news conference | Campaigners protested at being excluded from the news conference |
| Mr Walsh said: "I would have never opened my wounds if I'd known this was going to be the end result. | Mr Walsh said: "I would have never opened my wounds if I'd known this was going to be the end result. |
| "It has devastated me and will devastate most victims because there are no criminal proceedings and no accountability whatsoever." | "It has devastated me and will devastate most victims because there are no criminal proceedings and no accountability whatsoever." |
| The victims were among 35,000 children who were placed in a network of reformatories, industrial schools and workhouses until the early 1990s. | The victims were among 35,000 children who were placed in a network of reformatories, industrial schools and workhouses until the early 1990s. |
| More than 1,000 people had told the commission they suffered physical and sexual abuse. | More than 1,000 people had told the commission they suffered physical and sexual abuse. |
| 'Self-serving secrecy' | 'Self-serving secrecy' |
| The five-volume study by Child Abuse Commission concluded that church officials encouraged ritual beatings and consistently shielded their orders' paedophiles from arrest amid a "culture of self-serving secrecy". | |
| The commission found that sexual abuse was "endemic" in boys' institutions, and church leaders knew what was going on. | The commission found that sexual abuse was "endemic" in boys' institutions, and church leaders knew what was going on. |
| READ THE INQUIRY'S SUMMARY | READ THE INQUIRY'S SUMMARY |
| Summary of findings from the Commission to Inquire Into Child Abuse (105Kb) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you might need to download Adobe Reader. | Summary of findings from the Commission to Inquire Into Child Abuse (105Kb) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you might need to download Adobe Reader. |
| Download the reader here | Download the reader here |
| Schools were run "in a severe, regimented manner that imposed unreasonable and oppressive discipline on children and even on staff". | Schools were run "in a severe, regimented manner that imposed unreasonable and oppressive discipline on children and even on staff". |
| It found the Department of Education had generally dismissed or ignored complaints of child sexual abuse and dealt inadequately with them. | It found the Department of Education had generally dismissed or ignored complaints of child sexual abuse and dealt inadequately with them. |
| As far back as the 1940s, school inspectors reported broken bones and malnourished children but no action was taken. | As far back as the 1940s, school inspectors reported broken bones and malnourished children but no action was taken. |
| The report proposed 21 ways the Irish government could recognise past wrongs, including building a permanent memorial, providing counselling and education to victims, and improving current child protection services. | The report proposed 21 ways the Irish government could recognise past wrongs, including building a permanent memorial, providing counselling and education to victims, and improving current child protection services. |
| Cardinal Brady, said he was "profoundly sorry and deeply ashamed that children suffered in such awful ways in these institutions". | Cardinal Brady, said he was "profoundly sorry and deeply ashamed that children suffered in such awful ways in these institutions". |
| "It documents a shameful catalogue of cruelty: neglect, physical, sexual and emotional abuse, perpetrated against children," he said. | "It documents a shameful catalogue of cruelty: neglect, physical, sexual and emotional abuse, perpetrated against children," he said. |