IRELAND
One in Four
THE Franciscan Brothers are expected to agree to repay the State some of the hundreds of thousands of euro it cost to compensate two men for sexual abuse they suffered as schoolboys.
The State, through the Department of Education, initially accepted liability for the men’s ordeal at the hands of former Franciscan John Hannon, as the department had been made aware of complaints against him before he went on to commit abuse at a midlands primary school in the 1970s.
Awards running to six figure sums were made to each man and substantial legal costs were incurred, all of which was met by the department.
However, the State Claims Agency (SCA) has since taken over the case file, and is demanding the Brothers pay their share.