Abuse victims meet Minister to discuss Bill proposals

A deputation of men who were sexually abused as boys by teacher Donal Dunne is to meet the Minister for Education, Mr Martin, this evening to make representations about the Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Bill 1998.

It will be introduced in the Dail tomorrow by the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue.

The deputation will represent those who were sexually abused by Dunne at five schools since the 1940s, many of whom could be prevented from taking civil proceedings in the case under the terms of the new Bill.

Dunne was sentenced to two years' imprisonment last February for sex abuse. The deputation will be accompanied by solicitors and by Fine Gael TD Mr Charlie Flanagan, and will also seek an inquiry into the Dunne case and counselling for his victims.

Mr Flanagan, Ms Jan O'Sullivan of Labour and Mr Jim Higgins of Fine Gael have submitted separate amendments to the Bill.

Meanwhile, the Survivors of Child Abuse (SOCA) group is to stage a daylong protest against the Bill outside the Dail from 9.30 a.m. tomorrow. Mr John Kelly of SOCA said that under the Bill's terms, victims of abuse would have to go to court to prove their eligibility to take action in civil proceedings. "We are the ones who would be put on trial," he said.

This is so they could prove they were not "mentally aware" of the abuse outside of the three-year time-limit stipulated.

Mr Kelly (48) said he was a victim of abuse at the Daingean reformatory, Co Offaly, where he was from 1966 to 1967.

He recalled four incidents of sexual abuse. One incident in particular, from 1966, combined mental, physical and sexual abuse, he said.

He and another boy were overheard discussing an escape. The other boy was caught and badly beaten and gave the Brothers Mr Kelly's name. Mr Kelly overheard this from his dormitory and when he heard his own name being given, he wet the bed.

He was called out. A Brother stood on his hands on the fourth step of a marble stairway. He knelt on the third step and his nightgown was pulled up over his head revealing his bare buttocks.

Another Brother ran from a distance and lashed him with a leather strap inlaid with lead. He knew this because the boys at Daingean made the belts themselves in the leather workshops.

"The pain was so excruciating that I would've sold anyone," he said. The Brother employed the same tactic for the second lash after which Mr Kelly called out to God to take his life so he wouldn't have to take another.

"I begged for my mother and father, I pleaded `Brother, Brother, Brother . . .'." He got two more lashes in similar style.

"I believe God deserted me that night," he said, "I still have nightmares. Even sleeping pills don't make me sleep. As far as I was concerned these [Brothers] were the Devil's disciples."

Like so many others he welcomed the Taoiseach's apology but has decided not to co-operate with the Commission of Inquiry into Child Abuse.

He and others have come to believe the Government, through its handling of the Bill, "don't really want to uncover the truth".