By Claire O’Sullivan and Sean O’Riordan
Thursday, September 01, 2011
FIVE new allegations of child sexual abuse at a Cork school were received by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in the past month, according to the order.
The complaints were all lodged since Senator Mark Daly used Seanad privilege in July to disclose how the order had failed to properly supervise Fr Donnacha Mac Carthaigh, former principal of the Sacred Heart College in Carrignavar, Co Cork.
Fr Mac Carthaigh was on restricted ministry after seven complaints of abuse were lodged against him between 1986 and 2008.
The complaints refer to the period when it was a boys’ boarding school. It has been a co-educational day school since the 1990s.
Garda sources have revealed that in recent weeks, stations nationwide were contacted by ex-pupils with concerns about past abuse.
The HSE’s director of children and family services, Gordon Jeyes, has said he is to investigate child welfare at the former boarding school. The National Bureau of Criminal Investigation is also investigating.
The National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church is investigating the order’s handling of abuse complaints.
Last night, a spokesman for the order said: “It is our intention that all survivors of child sexual abuse will be offered appropriate help and support through the proper agencies. We encourage those who wish to come forward to contact the Towards Healing helpline.”
*Towards Healing: 1800 30352; HSE freephone helpdesk: 1800 742 800; Harbour: 1800 234 116; Cork Sexual Violence Centre 1800 496 496; One in Four 01 662 4070.
