School’s discipline ‘not over the top’
Father Tom Murphy, representing the Oblate community that ran the institution until its closure in 1973, said he felt discipline was not "unduly punitive". It was strict and firm but not over the top. Until 1984, the Oblates also ran Scoil Árd, a remand home for boys, at Lusk, north Co Dublin.
He agreed the atmosphere in St Conleth's, Daingean, was like a pressure cooker, a small staff of brothers with no special skills dealing with a big population. Up to 200 boys were housed there during the 1950s and between 100 to 200 the following decade. Difficult boys, aged 12-18 years, were committed to Dangean by the courts.
A total of 322 complaints had been made to the Oblates between 1996 and the end of 2002. In 1996 and 1997 there was one complaint for each year, five complaints in 1998, 20 in 1999, 97 from January 2000-June 2001, and 58 from June-November 6, 2001. The number of complaints jumped to 140 from November 7 to end-2002.
When the compensation deal was worked out between religious orders and the Government, the Oblates made an ex gratia contribution without an admission of liability. They issued a statement of apology to victims in April 1999.
They didn't have any records of sexual abuse apart from two cases. In the first, a former employee, a lay care worker, was convicted of sexual abuse at the Lusk remand home in 1997. The Oblates were informed of a garda investigation into alleged sexual abuse at St Conleth's in 1999. The garda inquiry did not lead to any prosecution.
Christine Buckley, director of Aislinn Centre, wept while giving evidence about her experiences in Goldenbridge orphanage run by the Sisters of Mercy and the chairman adjourned for 10 minutes to allow her to compose herself.
Announcing the commission's adjournment to early September, Mr Justice Ryan said the next module, to examine what went on in State-funded institutions, will begin then.
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