The ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in favour of a woman sexually abused in primary school could cost the State millions in follow-on claims.

THE European Court of Human Rights has found in favour of an Irish woman who sought to hold the State liable for sexual abuse she suffered at a Catholic-run primary school in 1973.

Louise O’Keeffe deserves our respect, admiration, and congratulations, though she would prefer it had she never been obliged to make her cause, her decades-long fight against stone-walling officialdom, so very public.

A Corkwoman who was sexually abused by her school principal has won a landmark lawsuit against the Irish state for failing to protect her.

A Cork woman who was abused by her school principal will find out later if she can sue the State for damages.

A European court ruling in Strasbourg this morning could pave the way for hundreds of cases against the Government for abuse of children in schools.

The State must accept responsibility for children who were sexually abused in schools managed and run by the Catholic Church, the European Court of Human Rights was told.

The European Court of Human Rights is to hear an appeal next year by a Corkwoman against a Supreme Court ruling the State was not legally liable for the sexual abuse she suffered as a child by her teacher.

The European Court of Human Rights has decided to consider the case against the State by Louise O’Keeffe for sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her primary school principal.

CHILDREN sexually abused in day schools have received little compensation from the State, with just five payments made out of 141 cases in the past three years.

ABUSE victim Louise O’Keeffe said she was “overjoyed” after the Supreme Court ruled she did not have to pay €750,000 in costs for her unsuccessful case against the state for the sexual abuse she suffered as a primary school pupil.

The Supreme Court has today heard that the State is seeking its legal costs against the woman who was sexually assaulted as a child by her primary school principle.

THE Supreme Court has ruled in a test action that the State cannot be held vicariously liable for a series of sexual assaults by a national school principal on an eight-year-old girl.

FOR many parents, students and the general public, it sounds odd that the Minister for Education has no responsibility in law for the actions of the tens of thousands of teachers whose salaries he pays every year, and whose pensions he funds with taxpayers’ money.

A MOTHER-OF-TWO who was sexually abused by her school principal as a child has begged for mercy over the legal bill of more than half a million euro she faces after losing a battle to make the State take responsibility for her suffering.

IT is “grossly utilitarian” to argue that the State as a matter of public policy should have no liability for the sexual abuse of children in national schools because this would lead to many other claims, the Supreme Court was told yesterday.

A WOMAN who was sexually assaulted 20 times by a national school principal at the age of eight has asked the Supreme Court, in a test case, to rule that the Minister for Education and the State are vicariously liable for the assaults.

THE State was yesterday accused of abdicating responsibility for children who were abused in day schools in Ireland.

IN a democracy there is no uglier spectacle than the power of the State being used against its own citizens. In fact it’s not even compatible with the notion of democracy.

ADULT child abuse victims have been contacting crisis helplines in record numbers following Wednesday night’s Prime Time exposé on RTÉ.

THE State Claims Agency (SCA) has dismissed reports that it is aggressively pursuing legal costs of €500,000 from an abuse victim who lost her case for damages against the State.

A mother of two who is facing a legal bill of €500,000 after losing a court battle against the State will be treated sensitively, an official body said today.

A County Cork woman who was sexually abused by her teacher in the 1970s faces a legal bill of up to €500,000 after the High Court today ruled that the State was not liable for the actions of her teacher.