A GARDA file on abuse allegations at St Joseph's Industrial School, Galway, has been with the Director of Public Prosecutions since last November. It is expected a decision will be made in the next month on whether to charge up to four Christian Brothers who were based at the school.
The investigation was opened by gardai in Salthill in late 1994 after a complaint by a former resident now living in Britain. That was followed by another complaint in early 1995. After this, according to Garda sources, the number of complaints "just snowballed over the following 12 months".
It is understood the complaints allege physical or sexual abuse, or a combination of both, over a sustained period. During an investigation by the Western Health Board, in which more than 90 former residents were interviewed, the vast majority complained of either physical or sexual abuse.
Up to six brothers were the subject of complaints, it is believed, of whom two have left the order but are still living in Ireland, while two have since died.
Garda Supt Jim Sugrue said there had been 23 complaints following an investigation which lasted up to 18 months and was carried out with the full co operation of the Western Health Board.
"It was long and complicated, but we are only dealing with allegations at this point."
St Joseph's opened as a boys' home in the last century. It was taken over by the Christian Brothers in 1876 and was run as a home for boys who were orphaned or from broken homes. It closed in the late 1970s.
One man now in his 40s told the Connacht Tribune last week that as a six year old he had been sent to St Joseph's as his mother was deemed incapable of bringing up her four sons after their father abandoned them. He alleged that while at the school he was regularly beaten and he had seen others physically abused regularly.
"At the age of eight, in front of all the lads, with a pipe, I got 10 `doublers', which is two hands together and lashed at full strength by a grown man", he alleged. "He's dead now. He's getting his own reward, guarantee you."
He readily acknowledged that some brothers were good to them, but others, he claimed, were extremely violent. He recalled that one boy who had stepped out of line was caught by a brother, who lifted him off the ground by his two ears. While he was doing so someone mumbled `leave him alone' under his breath. On hearing this the brother let one hand go and what I saw was the boy's ear being partly ripped from his head and blood streaming down his neck. It's not what you do to somebody."
Another brother, he claimed, beat boys if their underwear was soiled, and he often did so with a drumstick.
The former resident who claims he had informed the Bishop of Galway, Dr James McLoughlin, of abuse at St Joseph's when he was chaplain there, has alleged that he "suffered a reign of terror, constant beatings and sexual abuse".
In a statement to gardai, he is understood to have claimed that in fourth class at primary school, a brother would subject him to a degrading and humiliating beating if he could not reply to a maths question, and in so called quieter and tender moments would sexually abuse him.
This entailed, he claimed, being asked to stay behind after class. "He would bring me close to his chest and with my back to him... he would take my pants down and grope all over my private parts and run his hands all over my legs", he alleged.
After confirmation that the file had been submitted to the DPP, a spokesman for the Christian Brothers order said they had cooperated fully with the investigation by the gardai but had been advised not to make further comment until the allegations had either been substantiated or disproved.