GARDAI investigating allegations of sexual and physical abuse at St Joseph's Industrial School in Salthill, Galway, confirmed last night that a file had been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions after a two year investigation.
A total of 31 formal complaints were made by former residents at St Joseph's who made the allegations against eight former staff members, seven of whom were Christian Brothers. Two of the brothers have since left the order, while two more have died. The allegations have been strongly denied by the six living former staff.
Insp Martin Lee said that it had taken a special unit more than two years to complete the file. A total of 12 former residents initially made complaints in 1994 when a preliminary file was sent to the DPR A further 19 complaints were made. The process required that a large number of former staff and residents be interviewed, including many based in Britain and the US.
The allegations extend from 1955 up to the time that the facility, which catered for boys who were orphaned or from what the State deemed to be broken homes, closed in the late 1970s.