O’Keeffe ruling opens the door

Louise O’Keeffe’s victory against the Irish government in the European Court of Human Rights is a victory for all institutionally abused children. Her bravery and determination deserves the highest commendation.

The judgement drives a coach and horses through the Irish government’s claim that it is not responsible for abuse in education, welfare and health bodies it regulated in law and/or paid for through the public purse.

The excuse that abuse was the responsibility of the church bodies and organisations to whom the state handed over children, is shown to be nonsense. For some years successive governments have used exposure of the abuse carried out by clergy and other individuals as a means of escaping responsibility. It was the state that put a sectarian system in place, behind which abuse occurred.