Oblate Fathers deny Daingean reformatory was 'living hell'
A spokesman for the Oblate Fathers has denied that a residential school in Co Offaly was "a living hell" for pupils during the 1950s and 1960s.
Several hundred complaints of sexual and physical abuse have been made against the congregation by former residents of St Conleth's Reformatory in Daingean.
Some of these complaints relate to rape and forced oral sex.
Giving evidence to the Child Abuse Commission today, Fr Michael Hughes accepted that there is evidence of sexual abuse, but said it wasn't widespread and many of the allegations had been exaggerated.
He also accepted that punishment was severe in Daingean, but said the school would have descended into chaos without very strong discipline.
Fr Hughes said that, if there were acts of abuse in Daingean, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate unreservedly apologised for and condemned them.
He also apologised on behalf of the Oblates for not withdrawing from Daingean in the 1950s.
He said there were management failures because of a lack of resources and staff shortages and, in hindsight, the congregation should have left the school.
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