THE former head of the Christian Brothers will not proceed with a legal challenge against the removal of his Freedom of Drogheda award, it has been confirmed.
Br Edmund Garvey was due to begin High Court action against Louth County Council and the Borough District of Drogheda over a vote taken by councillors in September to no longer acknowledge his civic honour, which was awarded in 1997.
Councillors passed the motion, brought by Labour Party councillor Emma Cutlip, by five votes to four following a campaign by a group of survivors of sexual abuse at the hands of the Christian Brothers.
Ms Cutlip said it was “well accepted” that Br Garvey had “not done any legal wrong”, but the move to effectively rescind his Freedom of Drogheda title was to recognise opposition to a legal strategy taken by the religious order to defend civil cases by victims seeking compensation for historical sexual abuse.
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The strategy, described by Ms Cutlip as “abhorrent”, saw the order refuse to provide a nominee to represent it in civil cases, meaning survivors would have to sue individual brothers from the time who are still alive.
This move makes pursuing the cases much more difficult and was strongly criticised by survivors.
Br Garvey, who retired from his role as provincial leader of the order last year, said in statement that review proceedings “were contemplated in respect of certain process and governance matters” relating to the council’s decision.
The statement added: “A decision to not proceed had been taken and is now being communicated to the court.”
