RCNI Press Release 11 December 2007
Brothers of Charity report: Were suspected abusers simply moved from one institute to the next to abuse again?
Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) today welcomed the long overdue Report of the Inquiry into Brothers of Charity services to children with learning disabilities, but warned there were a number of important questions that this report may not address.
Fiona Neary, RCNI Executive Director said, ‘there are a number of questions we need answered. Firstly, does the report today explain why it took so long to complete, particularly when its initial author Dr Elizabeth Healy said she had completed the work in 2003 and was then at the writing up stage?
‘We know that two Brothers of Charity, who had previously worked in Institutions in Ireland, were later convicted in the UK for sexual abuse in a Br. of Charity institution in Liverpool. If today’s report did not investigate this, who now has responsibility for investigating whether these men also abused in Galway and Cork? If the abuse was known of or suspected, were they move to the Liverpool institution as a result of that suspected abuse and who made that decision?
Were other people suspected of sexual abuse moved on also? This would be appalling to consider given the very particular vulnerability of people with learning disabilities to sexual abuse.
‘For the Minister of Health, was the inquiry into this inquiry (instigated in late 2005/early 2006) ever completed and what were the outcomes?
‘For both the Ministers for Health and Justice, if this inquiry was conducted solely into the sexual abuse of children why has no action been taken or investigation been carried out of the alleged sexual abuse of the vulnerable adults with learning disabilities in Brothers of Charities institutions in Galway and Cork?
‘For the Minister for Justice, will criminal proceedings be brought against anyone in Ireland?’
Notes:
• The RCNI is the national forum of Rape Crisis Centres, which provides a strong voice for survivors and is a catalyst for social change to end rape and all forms of sexual violence.
• Convicted Brother of Charity sex offender Brother Ambrose (Lota Cork) also worked in Galway.
• He was moved between Lota and Galway.
• Dennis O’Neill (lay brother) & Brother Edwin/Brother Austin Morgan were jailed in Liverpool. They had both worked in Galway & Lota.
For information contact:
Cliona Saidlear 087 2196447
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