Case summary

Coleman Legal LLP acted for a man who was subjected to sexual abuse as a minor child while attending school in Ireland. Following five years of legal proceedings, a settlement of EUR 350,000 was reached in October 2023 after a full day of mediation, with the defendant religious institution admitting liability.

The settlement includes a formal apology from the institution to our client for the abuse he experienced as a child. Philip Treacy, solicitor, acted on behalf of our client throughout.

Client background

Our client was a child when the abuse began. He attended a school operated by a religious institution in Ireland, as children do, in the expectation of safety, care, and proper supervision from those in authority over him. The harm he experienced during those years had consequences that shaped his adult life.

By the time his case was resolved, he was in his mid-fifties. The severity of the psychological injury he carried was assessed across every dimension of his life, his family relationships, his capacity for work, and his ability to engage socially.

What happened

Our client was subjected to sexual abuse by a member of the religious institution while attending school as a minor. The abuse occurred in a setting where he should have been protected by those responsible for his care.

The institution had a legal and moral duty to ensure the safety and welfare of the children in its schools. That duty was not met, and our client suffered as a result of that failure over a sustained period during his childhood.

The psychological damage from the abuse, which our client carried for decades, formed the basis of his legal claim for compensation against the institution.

How the claim was investigated

Coleman Legal assembled an expert team to assess the full extent of the harm our client had suffered and to quantify the losses arising from it. An independent consultant doctor assessed the psychological and psychiatric consequences of the abuse and their long-term impact.

A vocational assessor evaluated the effect of those injuries on our client’s capacity to work throughout his adult life. An actuary calculated the resulting financial loss on a lifetime basis.

High Court proceedings were issued under the Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Act 2000, which recognises that survivors of childhood sexual abuse may not connect their psychological harm to the abuse until later in life, and provides accordingly for claims to be brought on the basis of the date of knowledge of that connection.

Outcome

A settlement of EUR 350,000 was reached in October 2023 after a full day of Mediation, with the defendant religious institution admitting liability. The settlement is full and final. In addition to the financial settlement, our client received a formal apology from the institution for the abuse he experienced as a child.

For many survivors of institutional abuse in Ireland, the formal acknowledgement of what occurred carries equal weight to the financial resolution of the proceedings.

How Coleman Legal helped

Philip Treacy acted for our client from the first instruction, guiding him through a complex, deeply sensitive claim spanning five years of legal proceedings. Philip worked closely with the team of expert witnesses, including the consultant doctor, vocational assessor, and actuary, to build a comprehensive picture of the long-term harm our client had suffered and to ensure the settlement reflected those losses in full.

He supported our client through each stage of the process and worked to ensure the case concluded with both financial resolution and a formal acknowledgement of responsibility from the institution.

“Our client received both a financial resolution and a formal apology for the abuse he suffered as a child. This case was about acknowledgement as much as it was about compensation. The apology from the institution mattered enormously to him.” Philip Treacy, Solicitor, Coleman Legal LLP.

If you or a family member experienced abuse in a school or institution in Ireland, our solicitors can advise you on the legal position in confidence. Contact us on our free phone number 1800-844-104 or email us [email protected]