Gardaí have appealed to anyone in the Republic “who believes they were a victim of a criminal act relating to the Presbyterian Church in Ireland” to contact them. It follows the ongoing child safeguarding crisis in the Presbyterian church which led to the resignation of moderator Trevor Gribben last November. .A series of reviews of safeguarding procedures were carried out in the church after the conviction of a man who had a connection with at least one of its congregations, members were told late last year.A dedicated team of senior detectives in the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is investigating abuse allegations in conjunction with gardaí.Of the 180,000 Presbyterians on the island of Ireland, approximately 22,000 reside in the Republic. An Garda Síochána said it “has not received any direct complaints to date” relating to possible abuse of/or by Presbyterians in the Republic.It added: “An Garda Síochána will endeavour to effectively deal with all contacts, however there may be limitations as to the action that could be taken in some cases due to matters such as the unavailability of evidence over time or suspects and/or witnesses being deceased.”[ Presbyterian Church in Ireland facing child sex abuse ‘earthquake’Opens in new window ]People can contact the Garda through their local Garda station or the Garda National Protective Services Bureau at 1800 555 222, a confidential line.A report by the church’s safeguarding team, published last November, identified a “number of situations between 2009 and 2021, with one as late as 2022, where we have failed to deliver an adequate safeguarding service”. The internal report was organised by the church in May 2025 following an intervention by the PSNI.The report established failures by the church “to make referrals to statutory authorities when these were required” in abuse cases, as well as not responding “adequately to concerns expressed to us about individuals in congregations”, along with failure “to respond to people who, having suffered harm, have sought our help”.It had also “failed to keep proper and adequate records”, and there were “situations where some offenders returning to worship in church, following referrals to us by statutory bodies, were inadequately monitored”.