Christian Brothers bow to pressure on abuse reparation

The Christian Brothers, the worst offenders in the clerical child abuse scandal, tonight bowed to intense pressure and agreed to look for a possible new deal to make amends to its victims.

Almost one week after the shocking Ryan report was published, the order appealed for another six weeks to listen to people who their members abused and tortured, their families and support and representative groups.

But the Christian Brothers will not offer up accommodation centres and the funding and resources it says it needs to support members and some of its work at home and abroad.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen publicly apologised in the Dáil on behalf of the State for failing to protect and rescue children while warning the original redress deal could not be redrawn.

“It is indeed the advice for Government that it is not possible to reopen that particular agreement,” Mr Cowen told the Dáil.

“But at the same time I think it in no way hinders additional voluntarily contributions being made by those congregations, as an indication of the sincerity of their position, as a result of the graphic horrendous details which form the central part of this report.”

The Christian Brothers, who struck an immunity clause in the middle of the child abuse inquiry, will consult with Government during the review.

Mr Cowen also addressed the issue of moral responsibility and said both the orders and the state had failed children.

In its statement, the Christian Brothers, which ran the most of the institutions for older boys, said it would look at the best way of making reparation for abuses of the past and investing in child education and welfare.

“We have extended the suffering of former residents who were either not listened to or not believed,” it said in a statement.

“As a congregation we want to make amends and to beg forgiveness.”

The Christian Brothers also said it accepted, with shame, the findings of the Ryan inquiry and that it was deeply sorry for the hurt, mistakes of the past and the inadequacy of its responses over recent years.

The Dáil heard cross-party support for a motion to reflect the widespread outrage at the decades of clerical child abuse in church-run institutions.

Meanwhile, Cori, the Conference of the Religious in Ireland which represents the 18 congregations responsible for institutional abuse of children, said the controversial 2002 redress deal, which capped their contributionat €127m, would not be reviewed.

It offered to put more resources, including money, into meeting the needs of abuse survivors directly.

The Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) said it was unacceptable for the orders responsible for systematic abuse to now promote themselves as counsellors and meet the needs of people they previously betrayed.

Fiona Neary, RCNI director, branded it another act of aggressive self-protection.

“Under no circumstances can any office or agency of these institutions be involved in the administration of any such fund which, if agreed to, must be handed over fully to the state for any dispersal,” Ms Neary said.

“Hearing the details of these horrendous abuses is deeply traumatising for survivors in Ireland.

“What survivors want is to live lives free of the abuse they suffered. They want to see the religious institutions move quickly to take responsibility for the neglect and abuse perpetrated under their care.”

Meanwhile, seven organisations and support groups published a seven-point plan for Government and opposition parties.

Barnardos, CARI, Children’s Rights Alliance, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, ISPCC and One in Four said survivors of abuse must have well-resourced counselling, support and advocacy services.

They also called for an immediate re-commitment to a referendum on the rights of children, for national guidelines on child protection to be uniformly implemented, and for standards and inspections where a child is in care to be independently operated.

Elsewhere, it demanded a therapy and assessment service for children suffering abuse and for those who have exhibited sexually harmful behaviour, and resources in place for youngsters at risk of homelessness or prostitution.