Abuse inquiry may take up to five years

More
than 2,500 abuse victims have now given evidence to an Irish
inquiry looking into cruelty to children in care.

Because
of the number of submissions, the Laffoy Commission on Child Abuse
could take up to five years to complete its deliberations.

More
than 20,000 Irish children attended 59 state-run industrial or
reform schools since the 1930s but it is understood that most of
the statements detail abuse dating from the 1950s and 1960s.

The
Commission, which has the power to compel accused abusers to give
evidence, is to start listing cases for private hearings during the
autumn.

Survivors group Rights of Place says the majority of the Irish
victims are now living in Britain.

The
government has also referred some matters to the commission. In one
case, a drug company is alleged to have failed to seek proper
consent to carry out clinical trials involving 211 children, 123 of
whom were resident in children’s homes in Dublin, Cork and the
Irish midlands.