HSE apologises for seven-year delay in report

THE Health Service Executive has apologised for the seven-year delay in publishing the report into child abuse at two Brothers of Charity services in Galway.

In 2000, 22 former pupils of the Kilcornan Residential Centre, Clarinbridge and the Holy Family School, Renmore, were interviewed about 33 years of physical and sexual abuse.

However, five years after the investigation started, a separate report found the protection of students had not improved. At yesterday’s publication of the main report, the HSE’s director of community care thanked those who had the courage to report abuse. She recognised there were shortcomings and delays with the production of the report.

“While the inquiry team acted promptly in 2000 by notifying An Garda Síochána of all allegations... I wish to apologise to the victims and their families for the delay in completing the report.

“We have undertaken a number of initiatives to ensure services for people with disability are appropriate and safe,” she said.

Director of the Brothers of Charity in Galway, Patrick McGinley, agreed.

“I welcome this report and I want to make a clear statement the service is sincerely sorry for these things that should never have happened under any circumstances,” he said.

A separate report into the delays, published yesterday was conducted by Breda Mulvihill, disability services manager and Paul Murphy, childcare manger. It found the Brothers of Charity services had been co-operative but there were still failings. The Brothers’ report, carried out in 2003, found recommendations made in 1984 had not been acted upon, the quality of life of pupils was poor and there was an absence of accountability.

Yesterday, the Rape Crisis Network of Ireland’s director Fiona Neary said the HSE had failed to explain the delay.

“It is very difficult not to come to the conclusion the health board handed all allegations of abuse over to the gardaí in 2000 and then washed their hands of the matter,” she said.