By Senan Molony Deputy Political Editor
THE head of one of 18 religious orders accused of institutional abuse of children was dramatically served with a High Court subpoena last night.
Fr Joe O’Reilly, of the Rosminian order, was served with court papers by Robert Dempsey (46), who alleges he was beaten and raped while in care as a boy.
The intervention came after a meeting between the religious and the Government, at which the Taoiseach said a three-person panel would be appointed next month to assess the financial worth of the orders involved
Brian Cowen said the panel would assess the financial positions submitted by the congregations “and report to Government as to the adequacy of these statements”.
Asset reports are to be submitted by the congregations by the middle of next month, when a further meeting will be held.
Payment
Fr O’Reilly was later unable to say whether the congregations had come to an interim approximation of their worth, or whether they had considered making a payment on account to the survivors of institutional abuse.
Mr Cowen had ordered the congregations to provide full financial statements following the publication of the Ryan report last month.
The religious orders had earlier indicated an unwillingness to contribute any further money beyond a €128m indemnity deal signed with the Government in 2002.
The leader of the Catholic Church delegation was visibly taken aback yesterday to be served with court papers as he left the meeting with the Taoiseach and Ministers for Education, Health and Justice, as well as the Minister for Children.
Mr Dempsey, who spent 18 years in St Joseph’s Special School, Ferryhouse, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, was born in care to a mother already in detention. He claims his brother and sister were “sold” to American adoptive parents within a few days of birth and that he has never met them.
He refused to attend the Residential Institutions Redress Board, saying he has been fighting for years to get his case heard in court.
Mr Dempsey attributes scars on his body to beatings and being punched in the face by a priest.
The Government panel appointed to scrutinise the list of assets submitted by the orders is expected to consist of specialist auditor and accountancy expertise.
Fr O’Reilly said further meetings would assess the nature and extent of contributions to be made by the religious orders to the Government and the survivors.
Asked about overseas investments and assets held outside the jurisdiction, he declared: “It will be a full, complete assessment of all the resources we have.”
He said the encounter with Mr Dempsey had been “very upsetting”, adding: “I know well his anger and how he has been treated on previous occasions. I hope we can help to bring healing to him.”
Christine Buckley of the Aislinn survivors’ group told Fr O’Reilly she believed the Government was appointing its own team of asset investigators “because you have been so deceptive in the past”. She added: “My concern is that you have had years to get a lot of this money out of the country.”
In a joint statement last night, the 18 congregations said it was agreed to submit a statement of affairs to the Government by mid-July.
“There will be further contacts to discuss the nature and extent of contributions to Government by the congregations,” they said.
– Senan Molony Deputy Political Editor Irish Independent 26 June 2009
Please tell robert to contact me paddy as I will do all I
can to help
barry
RE: Irish Independent letters page 11 nov 2009 Author, Alan Rice from the Mater Dei Institute.
I for one am glad to know that Alan Rice of the mater dei institute has proof that Jesus walked the earth. As far as those atheists like Einstein, Stephen Hawkins and Dawkins, Darwin, Gallieo and the rest of those pseudo scientists,[throw in Attenborough for good measure]it is comforting to know that all along they were just the authors of theories and fairytales. For them hell stretches out in front of them. Of course this is after a suitable time in purgatory before the off. Many will join them. The muslims, non-christians, other atheists, jews, for all of these believe too that Jesus was not the son of God. Now just before Alan gets his knickers in a twist and gets on his proof wagon again, I can help him make these ignorant pagans wise to a few irrefutable facts as well.
Do they not know that the world is flat and just 6000 years old, sex before marriage is a sin, and that sometimes not wearing a condom can produce children that are born illegitimate. Thats right, no right to be here at all. This along with divorce, suicide, and masturbation can ensure a speedy journey to hell. This has led me to a sad conclusion.
It seems sure that a lot of people are in hell already or well on their way and heaven is looking very lonely without them. This led me to re-think my own mortality and wishes for the afterlife and goes something like this:
Alan, if you get to heaven before me, and no doubt you will, then I am sure that if I am as fortunate as you I will take a pass instead and go straight to hell.
My blackened soul knows that if I were in heaven with you Alan, the pretty angels would get a lot more than ruffled feathers, and you would be surely glad that I was not gay, though on that note I cannot state that with any degree of certainty.
Anyway, hell sounds a lot more fun, they don’t discriminate, and all are welcome.
Barry clifford
This is a time for supporting Robert Dempsey in whatever way we can. Robert has been a regular contributor to this website. I wish you every success Robert. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to promote what you’re doing.