Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 364: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to a file sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions regarding further sexual abuse complaints against a number of Brothers of Charity at Lota, Glanmire, County Cork; if in view of this and previous investigations involving Brothers of Charity in Lota which resulted in a number of prosecutions any of these same brothers were ever working in Kilcornan, County Galway, which is currently under review; the movement of brothers there has been between Galway and Cork; the reason there have been no files sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions from Kilcornan, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37773/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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As Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform I have no responsibility with regard to the movement and staffing of Brothers of Charity. These are matters for that organisation.

With regard to the other matters raised, I am informed by the Garda authorities that there were seven complaints in total alleging abuse against members of the Brothers of Charity at Kilcornan, Clarenbridge, County Galway. In four of these cases the culprit was deceased at the time of the report being made to the Garda. One complaint was a minor assault deemed statute barred. The two remaining files submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions returned with a direction of no prosecution.