Christian Brothers in a frenzy of denial, says abuse survivors’ group

REPRESENTATIVES of victims of industrial schools have rejected claims made by the Christian Brothers that allegations made by former pupils in relation to physical and sexual abuse are tainted and motivated by money.

Yesterday, Tom Hayes, secretary of the Alliance victim support group and Patrick Walsh, the London spokesman of Irish Survivors of Child Abuse, said they were not surprised by the comments.

Responding to the comments by the Christian Brother’s provincial, Brother David Gibson, at the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, both men said they were not surprised.

“If Brother Gibson has anything other than anecdotal evidence let him bring it forward and present to the authorities rather that use the privilege at commission meetings to make wild assertions,” said Mr Walsh.

Mr Walsh denied that lists of brothers’ names and copies of an RTÉ programme “States of Fear,” were being handed round at meetings.

He said that religious orders were engaged in “a frenzy of denial”.

“Where is the evidence? There is no evidence of fabrication of evidence,” he added.

Tom Hayes, a former industrial school pupil, said he had no knowledge of lists of names being handed round.

Brother David Gibson said, on Monday, the order had seen evidence that some complaints against the Christian Brothers may have been motivated by the offer of redress.

The order had evidence that meetings of former industrial school residents were organised by solicitors — who copied over 1,000 copies of RTÉ programmes and had handed them out.

He also alleged that, at these meetings, lists of former brothers who worked at the industrial schools were distributed to former residents.