The blame game

The Roscommon abuse case rocked the nation. The social workers who helped get the case to court were in no way prepared for the backlash against them, writes Catherine Shanahan

IT was January 22 2009, just two days after the arrival in style to the White House of a couple that symbolised hope at a time when world headlines were mired in financial predictions and most of us were happy to embrace a good news story.

But while the Obama feelgood factor continued to fill newspaper inches and Michelle’s outfits dominated frontpage images, a disturbing story was quietly unfolding in a Roscommon court room.