A senior Christian Brother agreed yesterday that some members of the congregation found to have abused children did not suffer any impediment to their careers. Br Michael Reynolds, deputy provincial of the Christian Brothers St Mary's (northern) province, said such instances were "examples where the system fell down".
He was addressing questions on Artane industrial school by Noel McMahon, counsel for the investigation committee of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, at a public hearing in Dublin yesterday.
He agreed a Brother who had been at Artane for a month in 1945 later interfered with boys at another school in 1957, but went on to become a superior of yet another school and remained a brother until his death in 1986.
A second Brother, who had not been in Artane, had been accused while the superior at a school of "indiscretions" with boarders, as repeated in a letter from his provincial to the congregation's superior general in 1958.
The letter, from a Br Mulholland, said the worst feature of the situation was that the boarders were talking about it among themselves.
He suggested the man be transferred as superior to another school. It was agreed.
Br Reynolds said this showed "a serious lack of judgment" on the part of those who took the decision and later described it as an example of "extraordinary naivete".
Justice Seán Ryan intervened to comment "it seems morally unacceptable".
Br Reynolds agreed. "I don't wish to seem to be trying to defend it.
"I do not agree with the decision but I am not fully aware of the circumstances," he said.
Mr McMahon referred to a third Brother who in September 1972 applied for dispensation from his vow of chastity in a letter to his superior.
The Brother, who had been in Artane from 1960 to 1962, wrote that over the previous 22 years (as a Brother) his record on chastity was "not good".
He wrote "I know I have caused much scandal."
This man was known to have interfered with boys in class, Mr McMahon said. The congregation's provincial council and general council had both voted unanimously to grant him dispensation, Mr McMahon added.
Yet he was still a member of the congregation when he died in 1995.
Mr McMahon queried this, but Br Reynolds said he did not know how it had happened.
He agreed the man had remained in the Brothers "for another 23" years after his dispensation was granted and that he continued to live in houses where boys were present.
"I can't offer an explanation why," Br Reynolds said. On Monday he told the committee six Brothers had abused boys at Artane, "five before 1944".
Br Reynolds agreed that a directive in December 1956 from the congregation's superiors precluding the use of the leather for punishing children was "ignored" in all schools. He indicated that punishment regulations generally were ignored at Artane.
David McGrath, counsel for some former residents at the industrial school, read out regulations which indicated that only a resident manager or deputy was authorised to administer punishment at the industrial school.However, Br Reynolds agreed that every Brother at Artane was entitled to administer punishment.
