THE STATE HAS paid all damages awarded to Louise O’Keeffe following a European court ruling earlier this year that placed the blame for abuse she suffered in school on the Department of Education.
The landmark ruling at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) followed several appeals by O’Keeffe, who argued that the State failed to structure the primary education system in a way that would protect her and others.
Review
Briefing his cabinet colleagues this morning, Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn said that all costs and damages had been paid, and a review into other cases of abuse was on-going.
The State Claims Agency informed the Department last month that there are 44 day school abuse claims which were in line to be reviewed after the court ruling.
He said he will inform government as soon as the review is complete.
“Child protection measures”
The ruling has also prompted a review of “planned and current child protect measures”, which will be undertaken by a sub-committee of the Children First Inter-Departmental Implementation Group.
The ECtHR has ordered that the State pay O’Keeffe €30,000 in damages and that they pay €85,000 for costs and expenses.
The Cork woman was indecently assaulted by Leo Hickey at Dunderrow National School in Kinsale for a number of months in 1973 when she was just nine years old.
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