Euro court to hear appeal over sex abuse liability

The European Court of Human Rights is to hear an appeal next year by a Corkwoman against a Supreme Court ruling the State was not legally liable for the sexual abuse she suffered as a child by her teacher.

The Strasbourg-based court has set Mar 6 for a hearing in the case taken by Louise O’Keeffe, despite opposition by Irish authorities to the admissibility of her application.

Ms O’Keeffe, aged 48, unsuccessfully tried to sue the Department of Education over sexual abuse she suffered as an eight-year-old during music lessons by her teacher, Leo Hickey, at Dunderrow National School in Co Cork in 1973.