A MAN convicted in 2002 of sexually assaulting a child in the 1980s continued to work at a Donegal school after a member of An Garda Síochána expressed concern about the matter, according to a preliminary report into the case.
Michael Ferry (55) worked as a caretaker at Ard Scoil Mhuire, an Irish-language summer school in Derrybeg, despite the northwestern health board and then owner of the school being informed in 2002 of his conviction.
He was given an 18-year sentence at the Central Criminal Court on Monday for the rape and sexual assault of four boys at the school between 1990 and 2005.
The court heard Ferry was a caretaker in the summer school but that he worked in the building all year round. The local boys would regularly go to the school to play football and hang around.
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter yesterday said he was “appalled” by the case and that it was “unacceptable” that Ferry continued to work at the school having been convicted in 2002.
He ordered Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan to report the circumstances surrounding it to him and called on “those in charge of this school to explain how this individual continued to be employed as a caretaker in the school and whether at any time they considered the risk he posed to children”.
A preliminary Garda report into the matter said the force’s records showed the then northwestern health board was informed by gardaí, in accordance with the Children First guidelines, of Ferry’s conviction and of where he was believed to be working.
The Garda report also said that it was their “clear recollection” that the person who then owned the school was in court when proceedings were brought against Ferry. It said a member of the force subsequently told the owner of the school about the conviction and expressed concerns about Ferry continuing to work there.
A Garda spokesman said Ard Scoil Mhuire was now under different ownership. The school is expected to issue a formal statement later this week.
Donal Ó Loinsigh, a director of Coláiste Cholmcille, the Irish college that operates Ard Scoil Mhuire, yesterday said Ferry was not a full-time employee of the college. He told the Press Association that Ferry was known locally as the caretaker but was never contractually employed by the school’s present management.
Mr Ó Loinsigh said Ferry was previously paid on a casual basis to look after the upkeep of the building but that the school keys were taken from him as soon as the school learned of the charges against him in 2002.
However, he said that Ferry had subsequently continued to do odd jobs around the building, either paid for by college authorities or sub-contracted by other workers hired in to maintain the school during the winter.
“He would have done odd jobs under supervision, I mean everybody was informed,” Mr Ó Loinsigh said. “This was no secret, if he had to do something he was well monitored.”
Mr Ó Loinsigh said summer courses at Ard Scoil Mhuire were only for adults and Ferry’s latest victims were not students there.
He said he was notified about the most recent charges against Ferry by the Health Service Executive last May, which left the school authorities traumatised and dumbfounded.
The HSE said it would review its involvement in the case to determine if appropriate action was taken by the then northwestern health board and more recently the HSE.
Mr Shatter said the case again highlighted the importance of people who come into contact with children in their employment being properly vetted “so as to ensure, insofar as is possible, that children are not placed at risk by sexual predators”.
“It also starkly illustrates the absolute necessity of persons in management positions in the education sector complying with the children care guidelines,” he said.
