The Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in a number of day and boarding schools run by religious orders has started making contact with people who registered their interest in participating in it.
The Department of Education told Nuacht RTÉ that 220 people agreed to do so.
It is understood that a number of people received correspondence from the inquiry in the past week, detailing the next steps in the survivor engagement process involving two phases.
Firstly, people will be asked to complete a questionnaire detailing the school or schools they attended, the corresponding dates, and the position held by the person whom they believe abused them.
They will also be asked if the abuse was notified to An Garda Síochána, the child and family agency Tusla, or other authorities.
Respondents will have the option of replying online, over the telephone with a trained trauma facilitator, or in paper format which will be posted to them.
This will give the inquiry an indication of the number of people who wish to proceed further with a complaint.
Those who indicate their wish to continue to engage with will then be contacted by trained experts to interview them about their experience.
This may take place on line, by phone, in person, or by means of a written submission.
The scoping inquiry was announced by Minister for Education Norma Foley in March.
People had until 17 April to indicate their interest in participating in it.
The inquiry arose from an RTÉ Radio 1 documentary last November in which brothers Mark and David Ryan detailed the sexual abuse they suffered as pupils at Blackrock College in Dublin in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Following the documentary, gardaí said in February of this year that 131 people had made contact with the Sexual Crimes Unit regarding incidents of abuse at schools run by the Spiritan order.
Minister Norma Foley said in March that the inquiry would not be confined to the Spirtians, but would deal with all of the orders involved in education.
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Brothers who suffered abuse welcome scoping inquiry
Asked by Nuacht RTÉ if the inquiry has agreed a definition of schools run by religious orders, and if schools which were under the auspices of the Department of Education but whose teaching staff were supplied by religious orders would be included, a department spokesperson said the inquiry was established in response to revelations of historical sexual abuse in a number of day and boarding schools run by religious orders.
"With regard to this, and the challenging timeframe the minister has set the scoping inquiry, day and boarding schools (primary and post-primary) run by religious orders will be its priority focus."
However, "elements of the scoping inquiry will focus on the school sector as a whole, including an analysis of child protection systems within both the primary and post-primary sector," the spokesperson added.
