The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has been engulfed in a major safeguarding crisis following admissions of “serious and significant failings” in its central safeguarding functions between 2009 and 2022. The scandal prompted a criminal investigation by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), which has received over 100 referrals, an independent inquiry by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, and the unprecedented resignation of the church’s leader at that time. In November 2025 Rev Trevor Gribben resigned from his position as Moderator and retired from his role as Clerk of the General Assembly, acknowledging that the safeguarding failures happened “on his watch” during his tenure as general secretary.
Church leaders unreservedly apologised to victims, admitting they failed to respond properly when people asked for help, failed to keep adequate records, and betrayed public trust. Further internal instability followed when the newly incoming head of safeguarding also stepped down, leading the church to split executive roles and restructure its operations. Leadership also initiated reviews into historical non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that may have previously restricted former staff from speaking out.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland launched a formal criminal investigation into the safeguarding concerns and potential offences, logging more than 101 referrals from victims, partners, and external sources as of early 2026. The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland opened a statutory inquiry into PCI to scrutinise governance failures and compliance. PCI then appointed prominent safeguarding expert Jim Gamble and the organisation INEQE to conduct an independent, trauma-informed, and victim-centred external review. The review is essentially asking if PCI have effective governance, competent and properly supported people, and robust operational systems that translate its safeguarding policies into consistent practice—and does it learn and improve when things go wrong? The Terms of Reference can be downloaded by following the link below.
