A Dublin man who was sexually abused while he was a child in care at Madonna House in 1980 was referred to in the report of an inquiry into the operation of the centre, the High Court was told yesterday. The alleged abuser was also referred to in the same report.
The 1995 report was drawn up after an investigation following a number of allegations against certain members of staff at Madonna House, Blackrock, Co Dublin, which was operated by the Irish Sisters of Charity and closed down in 1995.
Yesterday was the sixth day of an action for damages by a barman, now in his late 20s, who has stated that he was sexually abused by a former cleric, a house parent, when he was a boy in care at Madonna House. He is suing the Eastern Health Board and Madonna House, the nominee of the Religious Sisters of Charity Provinciate.
Yesterday Mr Gerard Crowley, assistant chief executive of the Mid-Western Health Board, said he was one of five persons who compiled the 1995 Madonna House report.
He agreed with Mr Adrian Hardiman SC, for the plaintiff, that his client was simply identified by the number "18", while his alleged assailant was identified by the letter "J".
He also agreed that there was a "general looseness" in regard to the recruitment of staff in Madonna House. There was no manpower plan and there were difficulties about recruiting and retaining staff. Open discussion was not encouraged.
He said the group who compiled the Madonna House report may not have examined the qualifications or record of the former cleric alleged to have abused the plaintiff. He believed, from memory, that the group had not spoken to this man, although he had been invited to address the group.
In cross-examination, Mr Crowley agreed that in 1980 people would not have been as aware of the risks of paedophilia as they were in later years.
The hearing was adjourned until Thursday for submissions by each of the parties.