The work of the Commission has three main parts. You can read more about each part, and how to engage with the Commission, on this page.
The Commission will investigate the handling of concerns or allegations of sexual abuse, using a sampling approach to examine whether there were failures by schools and certain statutory bodies to protect children. The survey will take place in Autumn 2026.
The survey will be available to complete online via this website. Paper copies will also be available if you would prefer. A detailed participation guide will be available when the survey is launched in Autumn 2026.
Responses to the survey will help to determine the focus of the next stages of the Commission’s investigative work. The survey is an essential part of this process.
Updates on how and when the survey can be completed will be provided here. A media campaign will publicise the survey when it is ready to be completed.
The Commission is committed to ensuring that our processes are accessible and inclusive. Support will be available for anyone who needs assistance to take part in the survey or in later phases of our work. Information on how to access participation support will be provided before the launch of the survey. Read more about the Participation Support Service.
The Commission is aware that taking part in the survey may be difficult, and we are committed to a trauma‑informed approach in all engagement with those affected by our work.
Who Can Complete the Survey?
In the survey, the Commission would like to hear from:
Survivors
People who were sexually abused as children in a school, or in connection with a school, between 1927 and 2013.
Family Members
A family member of someone who experienced childhood sexual abuse in a school, or in connection with a school, between 1927 and 2013, where that person is deceased or cannot be supported to take part themselves.
Other People with Relevant Knowledge
People, such as teachers or other pupils, who witnessed sexual abuse, had concerns of sexual abuse, or were involved in reporting concerns about sexual abuse of children in schools, where that abuse took place between 1927 and 2013.
In the survey, each person will be asked to indicate their preferences for any further engagement with the Commission. After the survey is completed, the Commission will contact participants about the next stages, if they have indicated that they would be interested in taking part.
All survivors will have the opportunity to take part in our Survivor Engagement Programme. This voluntary programme will provide a safe and supportive space for people to share an account of their experience and its impact on their lives.
The Commission will carry out an Investigation to examine in detail how concerns of sexual abuse were handled by schools, and to identify where there were failures to protect children. The Commission is also required to investigate the handling of concerns of child sexual abuse reported to An Garda Síochána, to the Department of Education and to the Health Service Executive (including the former Health Boards; Tusla – the Child and Family Agency; and related bodies).
The Commission will investigate the handling of concerns or allegations of sexual abuse, using a sampling approach to examine whether there were failures by schools and certain statutory bodies to protect children.
This means that not all cases will be investigated but all information gathered through the survey will help the Commission to identify the subject of its investigation. You can read the Terms of Reference for more information.
The focus of the Commission’s investigation is how schools responded when concerns or allegations of abuse arose and how relevant bodies handled concerns of sexual abuse in schools that were reported to them.
In some instances, the Commission may seek statements, or further participation from survivors or others. To limit the risk of retraumatisation, this will only happen in limited circumstances and only with the consent of the survivor.
You can read more about the Investigation.
This is a voluntary programme which will give survivors of sexual abuse a safe and supportive space to further share an account of their experiences and its impact on their lives. The process here will be informal, confidential, and anonymised to protect each person’s privacy. In certain circumstances, a family member may provide an account on behalf of a person who experienced such abuse.
The Survivor Engagement Programme will report to the Chair of the Commission on the impact of child sexual abuse in schools and on any lessons that can be learned to further strengthen child protection measures in the future. This report will not identify individual participants.
You can read more about the Survivor Engagement Programme.
We recognise that, in many cases, the information shared with the Commission will be deeply personal. It is important that you understand how your information will be handled, so that you can make an informed decision about whether to take part.
Our Data Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use and protect personal information in the course of our work.
Read the full Data Privacy Notice.