Bishop backs school board over abuse claims

THE Bishop of Ossory, Seamus Freeman, has given his full backing to the board of management in a south-eastern school which has been at the centre of a storm of sexual and physical abuse claims.

Two months ago, Bishop Freeman met with past pupils of the school and parents who have alleged in the past three years that their children were abused in the school. Bishop Freeman was told by the delegation that physical and emotional abuse was “systematic” in the school long after corporal punishment was banned in 1982.

Over the past three years, five children have made complaints they were sexually abused by a teacher. Three of the children claim the headmistress was involved in the sexual abuse.