Published: Wednesday, 28th July, 2010 5:30pm

Local abuse victim meets political leaders at Stormont

An Athlone resident who was abused as a child at an orphanage in Derry has described his meeting with Northern Ireland's political leaders at Stormont last week as an emotional experience.

John Meehan, who lives in Bealnamulla, was one of four members of the Victims and Survivors group which met First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness on Thursday last to outline the steps they believe should be taken in response to institutional abuse in the North.

A retired member of the Defence Forces in Athlone, Mr Meehan suffered physical and sexual abuse at the Termonbacca Boys' Home, run by the Sisters of Nazareth, in the 1950s and early 1960s.

"When I was sitting around the table with Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness I got very emotional.

I was thinking of how, at the orphanage, we always had to walk out the back gate.

We weren't even allowed to walk out the front gate. And now we're there talking to the two top people in Northern Ireland," he said.

Mr Meehan said the 75-minute meeting was a "big step forward" for the victims' group, which has heard from a large number of abuse victims since it was founded last year.

"The number of people who have contacted us is a rising tide - it's growing all the time," he stated.

At the meeting in Stormont the group called for an independent public inquiry - similar to the Ryan Report - into abuse in the North.

They are also seeking a statement of apology on behalf of the Stormont government, as well as compensation and the establishment of a support structure for victims.

Mr Meehan felt the First Minister and Deputy First Minister were genuine in their responses at the meeting.

"I found that they were really taking on board what we said. They told us that they were going to drive this issue themselves - it wouldn't be handed over to Junior Ministers.

"We talked a bit about our own personal stories, but not in any great detail.

I said to Martin McGuinness that, years ago, his father and mother probably paid into the collection buckets for the Sisters of Nazareth and he told me that they had."

He added that he was hopeful the North's political leaders would work on the issues raised and that further progress would be made shortly.

The next large gathering being planned by the

Victims and Survivors group will take place at the Wellington Park Hotel in Belfast on October 7 and Mr Meehan said it would be open to any abuse victims who wish to attend.

Return to: Homepage | News Index | This article