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Gardaí (Irish police) have said more than 160 people have contacted them to report allegations of historical sexual abuse at schools run by religious orders since they issued an appeal on Wednesday.

A report commissioned by the Irish government and published on Tuesday found there were almost 2,400 allegations in more than 300 schools run by religious orders in Ireland.

In a statement, Gardaí said they are now in the process of engaging with everyone who has contacted them.

They said they understand "the profound impact that sexual abuse has on the lives of each individual who are now coming forward".

'Lifelong effect'

"In most cases this is the first time when these victims of a crime have spoken to An Garda Síochána," the statement added.

The report found there were 884 alleged abusers in 42 orders which formerly ran schools or still do.

Speaking on Saturday, Det Ch Supt Colm Noonan said police were there to support any person who wished to report any crime of sexual abuse not just in day and boarding schools run by religious orders but also in any other institution or organisation.

"These crimes are insidious and have a lifelong effect on those who are subject of this abuse," he said.

Police said the majority of the reports they had received had been made to the Garda National Protective Services Bureau by email and telephone, but also by the Child Sexual Abuse Reporting phone line and in person at individual police stations.

The Irish cabinet has agreed to establish a full statutory investigation, following the findings of the scoping inquiry report.

The primary source of data on allegations of sexual abuse was the religious orders and the schools themselves, the report said.

More than half of the people accused of historical sexual abuse are now dead.

The body which represents Catholic religious orders said it was “deeply sorry” about the abuse which had happened in schools.