Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Borough District of Drogheda to deal with Br. Garvey matter

Irish Heraldry: Drogheda Town Walls

Louth County Council has referred the issue of rescinding the Freedom of Drogheda, which was awarded to the then head of the Christian Brothers order in Ireland, to the next monthly meeting of the Borough District of Drogheda.

Br. Edmund Garvey was awarded the Freedom of Drogheda in 1997, when he was the then head of the Christian Brothers order in Ireland.

Since then, Br. Garvey has oversees a controversial legal strategy, which requires survivors of child sexual abuse by a Christian Brother, who want to take civil action against their abuser, to sue each member of the religious order which has over 100 members.

Independent Councillor Maeve Yore had tabled a notice of motion on the issue at today's monthly meeting, but an amendment, put forward by Independent Councillor Kevin Callan, was passed, which agreed to place the matter on the borough district's agenda in September.

The motion also supports all victims of child sexual abuse and condemns the litigation strategy adopted by the religious order, and calls on Louth County Council to write to its leadership team to condemn the strategy.