Abuse groups demand religious be named

SURVIVORS of child abuse have criticised a legal challenge by a religious order to prevent the Laffoy Commission from naming and shaming their members.

The commission, headed by Ms Justice Mary Laffoy, yesterday began a public hearing to decide whether some of those accused of abuse in State institutions are prejudiced by the lapse of time since the alleged incident.

Almost 2,000 complaints have been received by the commission; a number date from the 1940s but some go back even further.