KERRY DEAF UPDATE 25.05.09
www.kerrydeaf.com
RYAN COMMISSION TO INQUIRE INTO CHILD ABUSE
The Ryan Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse published its report last
week. For the past 10 years the Commission has been investigating
allegations of child abuse in residential and day schools from the
1930s-1990s. It took statements from 500 witnesses, including statements
from past pupils of St Joseph’s School for Deaf Boys and St Mary’s School
for Deaf Girls.
The full report can be viewed online at the Commission website:
www.childabusecommission.ie
The Catholic Institute for Deaf People has issued a statement on the report,
which says: “The recently published Ryan Commission report details the
shocking abuse of Deaf children especially in St. Joseph’s Institution. The
number of cases and the types of abuse indicate that this was endemic in the
Institution. Bad as this abuse was, it was compounded by the fact that the
children abused were Deaf and without a voice.
It is no consolation to anyone including the victims and the current Board
of the Catholic Institute for Deaf People (CIDP) (now the trustees of the
Schools and Managers of the Residential Centres), that this happened in a
different era and under different Management. It still happened, clearly
people knew that children were abused and nothing was done to protect them.
To all of those people, the current Management apologises unreservedly.”
The CIDP’s full statement is available here: www.cidp.ie/statement.html
There are a number of groups representing victims of child abuse in the
industrial schools and other residential schools. Information about the work
being done by victims’ groups is available at www.alliancesupport.org.
The Lord Mayor of Dublin Eibhlin Byrne opened a book of solidarity for the
victims at the Mansion House in Dublin. To date more than 2,500 people have
signed the book.
COUNSELLING FOR DEAF VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUSE
On its website the CIDP goes on to say that it “has agreed with Faoiseamh
the CORI Counselling Service, Staff Care Counselling Service and the
DeafHear.ie Counselling Service that they will provide services for Deaf
people who have been abused. These services are free and interpreters will
be arranged for any person who wishes to access these services again free.”
See www.cidp.ie/child_protection.html
CIDP “is also conscious of the needs of its own staff both past and present
and has put in place an agreement with Staff Care to be available to its own
and past staff (as well as Deaf people requiring counselling) who may be
understandably distressed at the abuse of children in the past who attended
the Deaf Schools and Residences. The contact number of the Staff Care
helpline is detailed above.”
Faoiseamh is the agency of the Conference of Religious in Ireland (CORI).
Staff Care is a non denominational agency working in the North and South of
Ireland, set up initially to serve the staff of agencies experiencing trauma
but now working as well with those who have experienced abuse.
DeafHear.ie is an independent agency providing services to Deaf and Hard of
Hearing People. It has a staff of Social Workers, a Family Therapist and a
Mental Health Service. The Social Work/Family Therapy staff are skilled
counsellors generally operating through ISL.
The contact numbers and the methods by which the agencies can be contacted
are as follows:
FAOISEAMH
Phone: Republic of Ireland – 1800 33 12 34
Northern Ireland – 0800 97 32 72
Fax: – 01-2600503
Email: – [email protected]
For further information on Faoiseamh see: www.faoiseamh.com
STAFF CARE
Phone: (24 / 7 Freephone) – 1800 409 388
Fax:(one working day response) – 004890565727
Email: (one working day response) – [email protected]
For further information on StaffCare see: www.staffcare.ie
DEAFHEAR.IE
Phone: (Open Mon-Fri: 9am – 1pm and 2-5pm) – 01-8175700
Fax / Text: – 01-8783629
Minicom: – 01-8175777
Email: – [email protected]
For further information on DeafHear.ie see: www.deafhear.ie
For any other information you can contact Liam O’Dwyer, CEO of CIDP, at
[email protected] or text 087-6753475.
KODA/SPIRIT OF SIGN FUNDRAISING EVENT
On 26th June 2009 a Greyhound Buster race Draw in Aid of KODA & Spirit of
Sign will be held at Greyhound Stadium, Curraheen Park, Cork. 8pm till late.
The first race is at 8.00pm with doors opening 6.45pm. Tickets are €10. This
includes admission to the race night and a racecard. There will be special
prizes on the night. For more information, you can contact Lorraine: 086
1269435 (text only), Robert: 086 3624351 (text only) or Veronica: 086
8901359. Proceeds from this event will go to Spirit of Sign drama group and
KODA (Kid of Deaf Adults).
DEAF SCOUTS IRELAND
Dublin Deaf Scout wants to expand and encourage more young members to join
this coming September. Scouting Ireland is a multi-denominational,
co-educational, youth based association with a membership close to 40,000
across the island of Ireland. It is affiliated to the World Organisation of
the Scout Movement. The Scouts cater for several different age groups:
Beavers 6-8 years old; Cubs 9-11 years old; Scouts 12-15 years old and
Venture Scouts 16+. Please see the attached poster for more information or
if you have any questions contact the Deaf Scouts at Scouting Ireland, 191st
Dublin Deaf Scout Group, 2nd Floor Office, 40 Lower Drumcondra Road, Dublin
9. Tel / SMS: +353 86 167 1574 Office Fax: +353 01 860 0231 Email:
[email protected] Website: www.dublindeafscout.com
IRISH DEAF YOUTH SEXUAL HEALTH WORKSHOP
The Dublin Aids Alliance, in conjunction Irish Deaf Youth Association, is
holding a workshop on sexual health, sexually transmitted infections and
contraception on the 6th of June. There are only 15 places so email
[email protected] to get your place. The workshop will start at 10am
and take place in No. 53 Parnell Square. See www.irishdeafyouth.com for more
information.
CONTACT DETAILS
Donations/fundraising: www.mycharity.ie/charity/kerrydeaf
Website: www.kerrydeaf.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Kerry Deaf Resource Centre
4 Gas Tce, Tralee, Co. Kerry. IRELAND
Tel: 066 712 0399/ Fax: 066 712 0386/
Mobile: 087 633 4687