The superior general of the Sisters of Charity has described allegations by the National Council for the Blind over the sale of its land in Dublin as "quite outrageous and unfounded". The council, however, has said it is determined to pursue its campaign.
Sister Una O'Neill rejected criticisms levelled at the order on Tuesday by the council's chief executive, Mr Desmond Kenny. He had accused the order of "turning their backs on the blind" because it appeared that none of the money would be allocated for services for the blind. The sale in March of 14.5 acres of the order's 32-acre site on Merrion Road in Dublin is expected to raise £35 million.
Sister O'Neill said the order "will continue to expand and develop their services for ladies with visual impairment on the Merrion site. Over the past 10 years, we have spent £10.5 million on a range of services."
She also rejected Mr Kenny's claim that the order held the land in trust, with an obligation to provide services for the blind.
"There is no trust which says that the sisters cannot sell the land at Merrion. The sisters own the land freehold. The annals of the congregation confirm that the £2,000 to buy Merrion was raised by holding bazaars and sales of work."
Mr Kenny said yesterday: "Our understanding is that it's not that simple. She has sidestepped the issue of the William Yore relationship in starting the schools for the blind."
He said a parent of a visually impaired child had seen a letter in the Dublin diocesan archives, in which Mgr Yore said he would donate the funds to buy land for a school for blind girls. He believed this established a trusteeship obligating the order to use the proceeds for services for the blind, and was seeking legal advice on the matter.
The parent, local historian Ms Miriam Burke, told The Irish Times: "There is no letter, only inferences. I couldn't find anything that would stand up. There is nothing specific that says `I am giving you the money to buy the land'. " Mr Kenny accepted the order bought the land and there was no legal impediment to its sale, but felt "there probably is a legal case to answer, that trusteeship is potentially involved even if it's not written down".