Inquiries under way into alleged abuse at Cork school

Irish Times
Patsy McGarry
Wed, Aug 31, 2011

Three separate investigations are under way into the handling of clerical child sex abuse allegations by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart congregation while managing their Coláiste an Chroí Naofa school in Carraig na bhFear, near Cork city.

Last night both the Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald and Minister for Justice Alan Shatter welcomed decisions by the HSE and an Garda Síochána to investigate “concerns regarding the welfare and protection of children who attended a boarding school in Carraig na bhFear, Cork, run by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart”.

It is also understood the congregation requested that the Catholic Church’s child protection watchdog, the National Board for Safeguarding Children, conduct a review of child protection procedures at the school, which is currently under way.

State investigations there have been initiated by HSE national director Gordon Jeyes, and by Det Supt John McCann of the Garda’s Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Investigation Unit.

Last night Ms Fitzgerald said she “met Gordon Jeyes to discuss the issues involved and welcomed the priority being given by the HSE to the inquiry”.

The Ministers said she also felt that it was important to state they have been assured “that none of those against whom allegations have been made are currently engaged in any work activities which bring them into contact with children”.

In the Seanad on July 27th Fianna Fáil Senator Mark Daly named a priest who had taught at the school. Despite seven cases of alleged child abuse against the priest being reported to four different Garda stations between 1986 and 2008, the Director of Public Prosecutions declined to pursue a criminal prosecution against him, said Mr Daly.

Mr Daly said the Sacred Heart Missionaries had settled a civil case in relation to this priest before it was brought to court and accused them of failure to enforce restrictions placed upon the priest.

Last year, he said, the priest had been advertised as spiritual director for a pilgrimage abroad, where he could have unsupervised access to children.

Clerical abuse inquiry to begin
Irish Times 30-8-2011
Charlie Taylor


An investigation into the welfare and protection of children who attended a boarding school in Cork operated by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart is to commence, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed.

The move comes after a priest allegedly connected to child molestation was recently named in the Seanad.

In a statement issued tonight, HSE national director for children and families Gordon Jeyes said he had initiated an inquiry into the allegations which concerns Coláiste an Chroí Naofa, a school situated in Carraig na bhFear, about 12km outside of Cork city.

The inquiry is to be carried out in cooperation with An Garda Siochana.

An investigation by the Garda Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Unit is also under way.

Fianna Fáil Senator Mark Daly named the priest at the centre of the investigation in the Seanad in July. He said that despite seven cases being reported to four different Garda stations between 1986 and 2008, the Director of Public Prosecutions had declined to pursue a criminal prosecution.

Senator Daly said a religious order had, however, settled a civil case in relation to this priest before it was brought to court.

Coláiste an Chroí Naofa was established by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in 1950 as a seminary and was originally a boarding school for boys.

Since then it has evolved into a co-educational voluntary secondary school attended by approximately 450 boys and girls.

The school is currently managed by Catholic Education, an Irish Schools Trust (CEIST), a trustee body for the voluntary secondary schools fo the Daughters of Charity, the Presentation Sisters, the Sisters of the Christian Retreat, the Sisters of Mercy and the Missionairies of the Sacred Heart.

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald and the Minister for Justice and Equality Alan Shatter have welcomed this evening’s announcement.

The minister said they were limited in what they could say publicly state at this time until the investigation is completed.

However, they said it was important to state that they had been assured that none of those against whom allegations have been made are currently engaged in any work activities which bring them into contact with children.