Top rank official involved in child sex ring, says TD
Thursday April 25 2002
He said it has been alleged that a senior figure in the Department of Education was involved in a Dublin sex ring while he was involved in examining alleged child abuse.
The man, who retired some years ago, is named in a submission to the Laffoy Commission set up to investigate abuse in residential centres and industrial schools, the deputy said.
Education Minister Michael Woods said the Department had received no communication from the Commission about any such case but it would give every co-operation and support if tha happened.
Deputy Hogan said the official is named in a statement by an abuse victim, who claims he had sex with the man when he was a 17-year-old prostitute in Dublin.
"This is a link to investigations into sexual abuse in residential centres in Kilkenny City, Cappoquin, Co Waterford and Clonmel. The man, it has been claimed, was with convicted murderer Malcolm MacArthur when the two picked up the rent boy on the Quays in Dublin.
"The youngster recognised the Department official. He had met him while he was a resident at St Joseph's industrial school in Clonmel. He was a Department inspector who visited the centre.
"This man was also the person who investigated allegations against convicted paedophiles like David Murray and Myles Brady in Kilkenny and gave them a clean bill of health.
"Incredibly, he gave one of the worst offenders, Murray, a clean bill of health and this is confirmed in statements to that court case by two different witnesses."
Deputy Hogan said he is the "golden thread weaving through a number of centres where children were in some cases tortured and forced to have sex with animals".
He said this man had never come to the attention of the gardai but his name keeps coming up. The deputy said he wanted to know what the Department of Education knows about all of this and what they have done about it.
"At the very least this man was guilty of gross incompetency and at the very worst there is something dark and dirty behind it, being hidden from public view."
Deputy Hogan said it has also been alleged that a few clerics from a religious centre were regular visitors to St Michael's residential centre in Cappoquin.
He said this information had been volunteered by former health board officials, gardai and others.
At least 30 of the children allegedly abused at St Michael's are now taking legal action against the Sisters of Mercy, the South Eastern health board and the State.
The allegations about the centre were made to gardai, health board officials staff members and an official in the Department of Education.
A member of staff at St Michael's, Eileen Power, made a signed statement to the gardai in 1995 stating that she was extremely concerned for the welfare of the children and again this official came down to investigate St Michael's.
"Why didn't anything happen? Was there a report to the Minister for Education or someone in authority in the Department?" Deputy Hogan asked.
He also asked if anyone in the Department cared about "what happened those poor youngsters who were put into the care of the State and were then sexually abused?"
- Geraldine Collins
