Personal Stories/Opinions
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In response to the article “Lawyer predicts half abuse claims will go to the Board” published on the 28th February 2004 in the Irish Independent Newspaper.
Would this be the same lawyer named Tim O’Sullivan who failed me as a client, hence leaving me with a few days to prepare my case in haste before the cut off date for the Laffoy Commission?
If so, I’d like to remind him that going before Judge Laffoy was preferable for some people, the naming and shaming of our abusers including those who still walk around Ireland. Many of us have been unable to get records pertaining to our time in spent in various institutions of the State. Many more have been denied access to their own medical records despite have been hospitalised for long periods of time. It is my view that Judge Laffoy would have sough and perhaps even obtained this information on our behalf.
In short, there would have been a level of accountability.
The Redress Board according to Tim O’Sullivan is a place for “Validation and Vindication”. Those of us who are not singing from the same hymn sheet do not believe that paltry sums of money being awarded by the Redress Board is necessarily just or fair.
Without records to prove our claims paltry sums of money will continue to be given.
Bridget P. Ford, Essex. England
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In response to “Gene Slur on Victims of Church Child Abuse” Observer Newspaper, Sunday, February 15th 2004.
Florence Horseman Hogan made serious, untruthful and unfounded allegations concerning the parentage of Industrial School Victims of Abuse.
Both of my deceased parents did not qualify in her perception and ignorance of why I was sent to an Industrial School. Her main problem seems to stem from her own parental inadequacies and their absence from her life at various intervals.
I would not be so cruel as to suggest that she has inherited any genetic defects.
Bridget P. Ford, Essex, England.
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In response to “Abuse Victims dismiss False Memory theory” Thursday 19th February 2004 – Irish Independent Newspaper.
The legal adviser to the British False Memory Society, (BFMS) Margaret Jervis has missed her vocation. My advice to her would be to stay in England and go into politics. Ireland does not need her assistance to inflict further offensive statements, through the columns of any newspaper, on those people who were abused while in the care of the Irish State. Her friend and sometimes colleague, Florence Horsman Hogan appears to be very adept at causing insult and injury too.
As for the Irish taxpayers being ripped off through the Residential Institutions Redress board. Knowledge of Child slaves in Irish Industrial Schools for decades was not offensive to the taxpayers at the time, while they enjoyed our services – TAX FREE
Bridget P. Ford, Essex, England.
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