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De La Salle Brothers order admits to abuse of boys at care home Sisters of Nazareth become second Catholic order to admit to child abuse
(about 2 hours later)
A Catholic religious order has admitted to the abuse of boys at a Northern Ireland care home and issued an apology to its victims. Two Catholic orders have now admitted children were abused in their care at the largest inquiry into institutional child abuse in UK legal history.
The admission by the De La Salle Brothers was made on day two of the largest inquiry into institutional child abuse in UK legal history. The Sisters of Nazareth nuns joined the De La Salle Brothers in their admissions on Tuesday that girls and boys were subjected to physical and sexual abuse in institutions in Northern Ireland that they controlled.
Kevin Rooney, a barrister representing the De La Salle order, told the Northern Ireland historical institutional abuse inquiry held at Banbridge courthouse that the order accepted there was abuse at its boys' home in Kircubbin. On day two of hearings at the Northern Ireland historical institutional abuse inquiry, Turlough Montague, a barrister representing the nuns, said: "They recognise the hurt that's been caused to some children in their care. They apologise unreservedly for any abuse suffered by children in their care. They go forward hoping that lessons will be learned, not just by them in the provision of care but also by carers generally in society and in wider society at large."
Earlier at Banbridge courthouse, Kevin Rooney, a barrister representing the De La Salle Brothers, told the inquiry the religious order accepted there was abuse at its boys' home in Kircubbin.
Rooney said: "They accept and deeply regret that boys in their care were abused. They wish to offer their sincere and unreserved apology to all those whom they failed to protect.Rooney said: "They accept and deeply regret that boys in their care were abused. They wish to offer their sincere and unreserved apology to all those whom they failed to protect.
"That some brothers abused boys in care was in contradiction to their vocation as De La Salle Brothers." "The Brothers recognise the human pain and suffering caused to those victims that have been abused."
Rooney said the mission of the De La Salle Brothers, who also ran St Patrick's boys' home in west Belfast, was to look after the welfare of vulnerable and deprived children. These were the first two religious orders to give evidence at the inquiry, which is estimated could cost up to £19m and is expected to run until June 2015. More than 400 people will give evidence with up to 300 witnesses ready to speak in person at the tribunal.
He said: "The brothers recognise the human pain and suffering caused to those victims that have been abused." It was set up to investigate claims of widespread sexual and physical abuse in 13 institutions ranging from orphanages to young offender institutions. The inquiry will examine claims relating to the Kincora boys' home in east Belfast where a senior Orangemen, the late William McGrath, along with a number of loyalist extremists, repeatedly raped young children.
The De La Salle Brothers was the first religious order to give evidence at the inquiry, which is estimated to cost up to £19m and is expected to run until June 2015. More than 400 people will give evidence with 300 witnesses ready to speak in person to the tribunal. The tribunal may also have to explore allegations that the security services MI5 and RUC special branch knew about the abuse in Kincora but failed to act because some of those responsible were state agents.
The Catholic order's lawyer added: "They recognise that there have been failures to protect the victims. This inquiry represents perhaps the last opportunity to establish what exactly occurred during the operation of the homes." Chaired by retired judge Sir Anthony Hart, the inquiry will also investigate the practice of shipping 120 local children from these institutions to Australia between 1947 and 1956.
The inquiry will investigate 13 institutions, such as orphanages and young offender institutions, that were in charge of children from 1922 to 1995. Christine Smith QC, the senior counsel for the inquiry, said today that post-war welfare reforms in Britain were not adopted by many of the institutions now under scrutiny.
It will examine claims of sexual and physical abuse in these institutions, including the Kincora boys' home in east Belfast, where a senior Orangeman and a number of loyalist extremists are alleged to have raped children. Smith said: "The evidence suggests that those homes operated as outdated survivors of a bygone age."
The inquiry may also explore allegations that the security forces, both MI5 and RUC special branch, knew about the abuse in Kincora but failed to act against those responsible because many of the alleged abusers were state agents.
Chaired by retired judge Sir Anthony Hart QC, the inquiry will hear written and oral testimonies from 434 individuals and their stories of abuse in institutions that range from young offender centres to orphanages run by Catholic nuns.
It will also investigate how 120 children from these institutions between 1947 and 1956 were sent to Australia as part of a child migration policy at the time.
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