a motion put forward by independent Councillor Maeve yore relating to victims of child sexual abuse will be examined in further detail by d rogheda Borough Councillors in s eptember

By Tamara O’Connell

LOUTH County Council (LCC) has referred the issue of rescinding the Freedom of Drogheda, which was awarded to Brother Edmund Garvey, the then head of the Christian Broth- ers order in Ireland, to the next monthly meeting of the Borough District of Drogheda. Garvey was awarded the Freedom of Drogheda in 1997. However, since then he has overseen a controversial legal strategy which requires those who want to take civil action against their alleged abuser, to sue each member of the religious order which has over 100 members.

During LCC’s July monthly meeting, which was attended by former Christian Brother pupils and their advocates, Cllr Yore put forward the following motion:

“That Louth County Council supports all victims of child sexual abuse and condemns the current litigation strategy chosen by the Christian Brother Order as illustrated on RTE Prime Time 7 February 2023.

“Furthermore, that this council writes to the Christian Brother Leadership Team condemning this litiga- tion strategy and that this Council calls upon our members in the Borough District of Drogheda to rescind the Freedom of Drogheda bestowed on the former leader Brother Edmund Garvey.”

At this month’s council meeting, Cllr Yore stated that victims and their advocates have contacted the council over the past few months asking for support, detailing the daily impact their abuse has had on their lives, their families’ lives and their futures.

In a speech made before the council, Cllr Yore said: “One in four people in our county and country have been sexually abused. They will never get to meet the person they were supposed to be because of this abuse.

“In my opinion, we, as elected reps, have to stand up, speak up and have the moral courage to be the voice of the people of Louth, including those sexually abused. If not now, when? If not us, who?

“In January of this year, we had an emergency motion calling for support for refugees and asylum seekers and to adopt a zerotolerance approach to racism which received unanimous support. So, let’s be a ‘Louth for All’. Let’s be beacons of light. Let’s break the silence and let’s say Louth says ‘No’. No to child sexual abuse; no to the Christian Brother litigation strategy and ‘Yes’ to the rescindment of the freedom of Drogheda to the then leader who introduced this strategy.”

Cllr Yore added: “The Christian Brothers are the only religious order using this strategy; refusing to appoint a nominee to accept cases; refusing to give contact details of order members thus preventing survivors getting into recovery and delaying the healing process for them whilst causing undue and unnecessary stress and anxiety to their elderly Christian Brother community – most of whom are innocent.

“The ethos of the Christian Brother order is Justice, Truth, Compassion, Hope and the very least we can do as a council and councillors is to write to the Provence leader to ask that they practice what they preach and to treat all survivors with compassion and empathy and ask that the Christian Brother order nominate, one firm of solicitors to represent all of their members thus allowing sexual abuse survivors to enter recovery.

“All of the survivors I have spoken to only request truth and justice. It’s way past time we as a country step up and stand up for them.”

She concluded “I will continue to use my voice as an elected rep and an ordinary citizen of Louth to try and help and support all survivors of sexual abuse.

“Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank my fellow Independent colleagues and friends, Bernie Conlon and Paddy McQuillan, for their bravery and unwavering support to get this Motion on the agenda...” Cllr maeve yore.