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Press Statement - December 10, 2007
The Brothers of Charity Service welcomes this report concerning our services in the Holy Family School
and other Brothers of Charity residential services in Galway, which was published by the HSE today. In
1998 the Brothers of Charity Services had asked the Western Health Board to conduct an Inquiry after
past pupils of Holy Family School raised allegations of abuse.
Br. Noel Corcoran, Head of the Brothers of Charity Services in Ireland, said today,
"We welcome this report and I sincerely apologise to everyone who was abused while in our care. We have
made this apology in the past and I wish to make it again today in the hope that it will contribute to
healing for those who were abused. Vulnerable people were abused while in our care and this should not
have happened. Many significant steps have already been taken and we must now continue to ensure in
every possible way that our procedures and practices will make it as difficult as is humanly possible
for anyone to be abused in our Services today."
Mr. Patrick McGinley, Chief Executive of the Brothers of Charity Services Galway, said today,
"This report gives a clear picture of the awfulness of the abuse that occurred within our Service. None
of this should have happened. In contrast to the past, we now have much more comprehensive abuse
prevention systems in place in regard to care, training, and reporting of abuse. Our current practices
and procedures would make it very difficult for any abuse to occur today in our Service."
Mr McGinley went on to say,
"We accept that improvements can always be made and we are aware that we still do not meet all of the
many and diverse needs of everyone we support and their families. However, we are determined and
committed to continually improving the range and quality of our Services to meet people's individual
needs.
The Brothers of Charity Services have a well-established policy in keeping with Best Practice Guidelines
of fully supporting people who report abuse while in our care. If there are persons who have been
abused and who have not yet come forward, and wish to contact us or the authorities, we will assist
them in every possible way."
The Brothers of Charity Services in Ireland employ over 2,700 people and we support nearly 3,200 people
with disability around the country. We continue to work with the HSE in providing and continually
improving our service in the best interest of the people we support and their families.
There are two helplines open for people who may have concerns following the publication of today's
report. The Faoiseamh helpline is open for people who have been abused, and their telephone number
1800 33 1234 - between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Monday to Wednesday and on Friday between
11:00 a.m and 4:00 p.m. The Brothers of Charity Services in Galway have also opened a helpline for
people who may have any concerns about this report and the current services. The telephone number of
the Brothers of Charity helpline is 1800 252058.
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