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Boys Town V Drumcondra
Dear Dr. Keogh,
You write :
It is significant, too, that in the Dail report you cite,
the questions are directed at the Minister for Justice. If the focus
was the Industrial Schools, these questions would have been directed
to the Minister for Education who had responsibility for them.
But Dr. it is of more significance what the Minister said in his reply
: "All I have got to say is that these schools are under the
management of religious Orders, who are self-effacing people, and who
do not require any commendation from me."
So you see Dr. Keogh the focus WAS the Industrial Schools and these
questions were directed at the Minister of Justice who was obviously
well able to answer them. I'm actually not sure if you understand
that the stigma of criminality still hangs over people served with
Detention Orders when they were children. Under the 1908 -1941
Children's Act - now repealed - people with "convictions" under that
act may not serve on a jury, for example. Indeed, there is evidence to
show that people with such a "conviction" must declare it if they are
to be allowed work in senior positions in the Civil Service or if they
intend to run for political office.
Interestingly (to me in anyway) my wife has being called to Jury
service on three occasions in the past two years and yet I have never
been. So asking the Minister of Justice questions on the Industrial
Schools seems to have been quite in order.
As to refusing you access to the archive at Boys Town and you calling
it a crude act of censorship I wonder what would be your opinion on my
being refused access to my medical and educational records from my
times in the Institutions managed by religious orders, Priests,
Christian Brothers and Nuns.
Regards
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