Police 'Cleared' On Donegal Child Abuse Case

The Irish Republic's Minister for Justice has received preliminary information from An Garda Síochána regarding a child abuse case in Donegal.

It appears to clear the Garda of blame on the continued employment of a former caretaker at the school in Donegal despite his conviction for child abuse.

The police report comes in response to Minister Shatter's request for information about the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Minister has been informed by the Garda Commissioner that their records show that on 16 October, 2002 the then Health Board were informed by the Gardaí, in accordance with the Children First guidelines, of the conviction of the person in question and of where he was believed to be working.

Gardaí said the owner of the school was in court for the criminal proceedings against that person. In addition, a Garda subsequently spoke to the owner of the school about the conviction and expressed his concerns about that person continuing to work at the school.

Minister Shatter commented: "I welcome this clarification from the Garda Commissioner. This makes it all the more necessary for those who chose to continue the employment of this person to explain themselves."

On Monday, Michael Ferry, 55, from Gweedore was jailed for 14 years for offences committed at Ard Scoil Mhuire in Derrybeg between 1990 and 2005. Ferry had been convicted of similar offences in 2002.

At his latest trial, it was indicated that he had continued to work in the school following that conviction but directors of the Irish language school have denied that he continued to work specifically as a caretaker afterwards.

The directors of Colaiste Cholmchille, the college based at Ard Scoil Mhuire, have expressed their regret to Ferry's victims and insisted it was "factually incorrect" to say he had been employed as a caretaker following his arrest in 2001.

They said that aside from periods of authorized accompanied access, other instances of him having accessed the building were "totally unauthorised".

A statement released by the directors said: "Following his arrest in 2001 and prior to his subsequent conviction he was dismissed from his post as caretaker.

"This dismissal took place at a formal meeting, attended by two directors of Colaiste Cholmcille."

The statement added that Ferry was required to surrender the keys to the building at the meeting, which he did.

It said that he was never subsequently re-employed as a caretaker but did participate in "effecting necessary repairs over subsequent years, on occasion".

(BMcN/BMcC)