independent.ie
Thursday September 01 2011
By Ralph Riegel
MORE than 500 former students at a prestigious boarding school will be contacted over abuse allegations that have triggered three major investigations.
Gardai and the Health Service Executive (HSE) are conducting separate probes into the former Colaiste Chroi Naofa boarding school in Carraig na bhFear, Cork.
Abuse allegations by five individuals have come to light over the past six weeks.
The garda and HSE probes were launched following Senator Mark Daly’s decision to use Seanad privilege to highlight alleged abuses at Carraig na bhFear and identify Fr Donncha MacCarthaigh.
The religious order that once ran the school, the Order of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (OMSH), is also being looked at by the church’s own watchdog body.
The National Board for the Safeguarding of Children (NBSC) is auditing how it handled complaints lodged over the years.
The allegations relate to a period in the 1970s and 1980s and involve both sexual and physical abuse complaints.
The Irish Independent understands that the NBSC probe could extend even further back.
The school stopped taking boarders in 1995 and is now under new management, totally separate from OMSH.
Yesterday, principal Eamon O’Donnabhain wrote a letter to parents of children of the now co-education day school.
Commitment
“As we approach the beginning of the new school year let me assure you of our continued commitment to provide the best education and pastoral care for your children,” he said.
Mr O’Donnabhain declined to comment further to the Irish Independent.
Last night, Mr Daly confirmed he had met gardai and HSE officials and welcomed the various probes under way.
Former school principal Fr MacCarthaigh has denied the allegation. He was the focus of seven abuse complaints. No prosecutions were taken.
Having stepped aside from his principal duties to work as a career guidance teacher, he was placed on restricted ministry in the 1990s.
A second former Carraig na bhFear teacher, Fr Tadhg Daly was convicted of 10 sample counts of indecent assault of a 12-year-old former pupil in 1999 and sentenced to three years in prison.
The HSE yesterday launched a freephone number (1800) 742 8000 for victims and those affected by child sex abuse.
– Ralph Riegel
Irish Independent
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Clerical abuse helplines established
The Irish Times
31 August 2011
CHARLIE TAYLOR
Two helplines have been set up for individuals with information or concerns over clerical child sex abuse allegations at a boarding school just outside of 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 Coláiste an Chroí Naofa school in Carraig na bhFear, which was run by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.
It is also believed that the congregation itself 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.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) announced this evening it had set up a freephone helpline for those who may require support or counselling. The helpline is open from 10am to 10pm daily on 1800 742 800.
A separate helpline has also been established at the request of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart to provide counselling. The helpline, which will be run by the ‘Towards Healing’ counselling and support service, opens on Friday morning and lines will be open between 11am to 1 am.
Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald encouraged survivors of past abuse at Carraig na bhFearr to contact either of the newly-established helplines.
State investigations into allegations of abuse at the boarding school following the naming of a person connected to Coláiste an Chroí Naofa.
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.