Ryan Report Response

 

November 2009

Response to Request from Government

The Presentation Brothers congregation was founded in the early 1800’s and has been predominantly involved in education since its beginning.  More recently the Congregation has established schools outside Ireland, in the UK, Canada, West Indies, Ghana and Nigeria.

The Congregation currently has approximately 100 members of which 60 are members of the Irish Section and 40 (including 7 from the Irish Section) are located on the missions.  In addition to the 100 members, there are a further 14 members in formation for membership.  The most significant foreign location is Ghana.

As well as education the Congregation is involved in a range of missionary, community and charitable activities and has serious commitments to the ongoing support of these causes.  The Congregation has plans for substantial growth of its activities in the Ghana region.

Financial Contribution

The Presentation Brothers were responsible for one industrial school viz. St Joseph’s Industrial School, Greenmount, Cork.  This institution closed in 1959.

The Brothers want to bring help and healing to the survivors and are willing to co-operate with the Government and others in this process.  We have therefore decided to contribute €3m from our unrestricted assets of €8.6m in response to the Taoiseach’s request. This  contribution represents more than one-third of our available funds.

The proposed contribution will require the approval of the Charitable Commissioners.

Media Enquiries

Please contact Mr. Manus O’Callaghan at 086-2526476.

Summary of Statement of Affairs to Government:

Formal name:	Congregation of the Presentation Brothers
Present work in Ireland:	Mainly education.  Also community work, youth outreach, immigrant support, and support for Congregation's missions, especially Ghana.
Geographic area to which information relates:	Irish Section of the Anglo Irish Province (Republic of Ireland)
Number of members:	60 (including 7 in overseas missions)
Age profile of members:	Average age of 71
Financial Advisors	PricewaterhouseCoopers
Auditors:	PricewaterhouseCoopers
Property valuers:	Savills

Financial resources as at 30 June 2009			€m	€m	€m
Assets (1)
Schools (2)			21
Playing Fields (3)			6.3
Residential homes and retirement home not currently available for sale			6.6
Other Land			0.4
Financial assets			23.0
Other assets			1.1
Total Assets				58.4
Of Which Property in use or subject to restriction (4)				35.0
Total Unrestricted Assets					23.4
Liabilities & Commitments
Liabilities			-
Continuation of services (5)			2.7
Living, welfare and care of members			7.2
Other (6)			4.8
Total Liabilities and Commitments					14.8
		(Unrestricted Funds) less (Restricted Funds) less (Liabilities and Commitments):	(58.4) less (35.0) less (14.8)  = 8.6
Total Net Unrestricted Assets			8.6
Notes:
1	Professional valuations of property have been provided. Schools are valued on the basis of the sites attaching to them, on assumption that the schools are closed and there is freehold title. Other properties, viz. playing fields, residential properties, retirement home are valued at open market value.
2	To be transferred to the Presentation Brothers Schools Trust (PBST) on 1st Sept. 2009.
3	To be licensed to the PBST on 1st September 2009.
4	Including Schools, Playing Fields, Residential
5	Continuation of services involves the Congregation’s financial commitment to the PBST and Catholic Education Service
6	“Other” includes provision for overseas missions, outreach programmes, training and formation of members, continued assistance of survivors of St. Joseph’s Industrial School.
7	Discrepancies may arise due to rounding of figures.

 

Contact details for queries re Ryan Report

The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Ryan Report) published its report on Wednesday 20th May 2009.

Media inquiries are being handled by Mr Manus O’Callaghan at 086 2526476 or 021 4520730.

More information about Safeguarding Children is available here

 

Statement in Response to Ryan Report:

The Presentation Brothers were responsible for one institution investigated by the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, viz. St. Joseph’s Industrial School, Greenmount, Cork.

We accept fully the findings and the recommendations of the Commission.

We reiterate our deepest and most sincere apology to survivors of St. Joseph’s Industrial School who suffered abuse.  We beg forgiveness for what occurred. 

While listening to and responding to the needs of the survivors of St. Joseph’s Industrial School is our principal objective, we desire to work with all relevant parties including Government and other Religious Congregations as part of a wider response to the needs of all those who were abused.  In this context and in terms of our resources we commit ourselves to making a significant contribution to the advancement of this process.